If You Feel Disqualified, Listen to This | Girls Gone Bible

Summary

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Girls Gone Bible – Episode Summary

Episode Title: If You Feel Disqualified, Listen to This
Hosts: Angela Halili & Arielle Reitsma
Original Air Date: April 24, 2026

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Main Theme / Purpose

This heartfelt episode of Girls Gone Bible explores feelings of disqualification, shame, and being “written off”—whether because of your past, mistakes, background, or personal struggles. Using the biblical story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1–10) as a foundation, Angela and Arielle share candid reflections on their own journeys, the power of grace, why comparison is toxic, and how Jesus fundamentally welcomes all people as they are. The tone is deeply empathetic, vulnerable, and encouraging, offering hope to anyone who’s ever felt unworthy or disconnected from God’s purpose.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. School Memories, Bullying, and Early Insecurities

• Angela and Arielle open up about their childhood struggles with academics, feelings of not fitting in, and moments of being bullied.
• Both emphasize how childhood experiences and family environments shape self-talk and self-worth.
• The girls recall the pain and isolation of being bullied and the defense mechanisms they developed (“a hardened heart”), segueing into the importance of healing with Jesus.
• They discuss how the way parents talk about others becomes a voice inside children’s heads (11:00).
• The conversation briefly touches on raising kids to be inclusive and kind, “to always be the one who sees another kid that’s alone and include them” (11:34, Angela).

2. Reading the Bible & Embracing the Gospels

• Angela shares advice from her pastor: “No matter what you’re reading in the Bible, you should open a gospel every day…so you get a little bit of the life of Jesus in you every single day.” (11:47)
• Arielle recommends reading passages repeatedly to see yourself in the story and receive new revelations, relating this to how the podcast frequently revisits stories from fresh perspectives.

3. The Story of Zacchaeus: Jesus Embracing the Written-Off

• The episode centers on Luke 19:1–10, with the hosts reading and unpacking the story step by step starting at 16:53.
• Zacchaeus, a wealthy tax collector, was reviled and considered a sinner/traitor in his community (31:08, Angela).
• Angela reflects: “If you’ve ever felt written off…if you have a past…or you feel like people have already decided who you are…this story speaks to that person.” (17:12)
• The hosts connect their own experiences of being questioned or discredited over their pasts to Zacchaeus’s social status.
• Arielle: “Even if you fall again, even when you’re on your walk and you fall, you feel like all of a sudden God has departed from you and you’re forgotten—and you’re not.” (19:55)

4. Comparing Faith Journeys & Christian Backgrounds

• Angela and Ari open up about self-condemnation and comparison to Christians from “generational Christian” backgrounds:
  • “Sometimes I look at godly Christian friends who just get it right more than I do…and I’m like, ‘oh, I got it wrong again.’” (21:57, Angela)
  • They address the ongoing rewiring required for those who come to faith later in life or with more “messy” pasts.
• Ari offers a reminder: “Let me tell you about the heart you have…because of everything you went through and the hunger and tenacity and the way you stay so closely to Jesus.” (24:46)

5. Grace, Acceptance, and Real Change

• Jesus calls Zacchaeus by name, not by his sin or job title: “He doesn’t call him sinner…He calls him by name…” (36:04, Arielle).
• “You don’t have to clean yourself up to come to Jesus. He comes and gets you…He just invites Himself in...He’s always knocking, always after you.” (39:32, Arielle)
• The touch of Jesus’s grace naturally prompts Zacchaeus to change—“None of it is forced. Jesus didn’t even tell him to do that…” (45:57, Angela).
• Angela emphasizes the need as Christians to destroy any critical or judgmental spirit that would prevent them from loving and helping others.

6. Fruit of True Conversion: Giving, Not Getting

• The first thing Zacchaeus does after encountering Jesus is offer restitution and generosity—giving away wealth and making amends (47:20, Angela).
• “To give your life to Jesus means to give it completely. To give to other people.” (47:54, Angela)
• Arielle shares vulnerable stories of prayers shifting from “God, get me a job” to “God, if you give me an opportunity to help and love your people, I’ll never let you down.” (48:59)

7. Addressing Feelings of Unworthiness, Even in Ministry

• Both hosts talk about dark nights of the soul, feeling unqualified or disqualified—even as leaders or content creators.
• Angela: “I feel like Satan is trying to steal the call of God on my life. I don’t want to be in ministry. I don’t feel worthy…” (56:55)
• They encourage honesty and sharing struggles with trusted friends, observing that “the second you confess something, Satan is exposed because you’re able to hear the lie.” (62:00)
• The ongoing message: No one is written off or forgotten. God meets us in our mess, loves us in our imperfection, and His compassion is greater than our sin or failures.

8. Living Out Redemption

• Angela: “No matter where you’ve been, or how messy you are right now, God already sees you and already wants you—in the middle of your sin, in the middle of your mess, in the middle of your mental health struggles. He’s obsessed with you. He loves you so much.” (59:51)
• Arielle emphasizes analyzing destructive thoughts, replacing lies with the truth that God never condemns us but calls us back to Him (54:56; 55:13).

9. Encouragement and Mission

• The episode closes with a commissioning spirit:
  • “Go make disciples. Go help someone that feels forgotten. Go make someone feel seen. Go love on someone like Jesus did. Go meet someone where they’re at…” (64:05, Arielle)
  • “Talk to people about Jesus. The easiest thing you can do.” (64:18, Angela)

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Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “To always be the one who sees another kid that’s alone and go and include them.” – Angela (11:34)
• “No matter what you’re reading in the Bible, you should open a gospel every day…get a little of the life of Jesus in you every day.” – Angela (11:47)
• “Comparison is a thief, because it’s not all what you see on the outside.” – Arielle (24:46)
• “He calls him by name…not sinner.” – Arielle (36:04)
• “You don’t have to clean yourself up to come to Jesus. He comes and gets you, and He calls you by name.” – Arielle (39:32)
• “Jesus goes after the rejected.” – Angela (40:46)
• “It was the love and acceptance of Jesus that made Zacchaeus say, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore.’” – Arielle (43:11)
• “To give your life to Jesus means to give it completely. To give to other people.” – Angela (47:54)
• “The closer you get to Jesus, the more you realize you really aren’t worthy. We are only worthy because He makes us worthy.” – Angela (59:51)
• “God already sees you…in the middle of your mess, in the middle of your mental health struggles—He’s obsessed with you.” – Angela (59:51)
• “He’s a good Father. We always look at God as like this judge, but He’s a really good Father.” – Arielle (61:13)
• “Go help someone that feels forgotten. Go make someone feel seen. Go love on someone like Jesus did. Go meet someone where they’re at…” – Arielle (64:05)

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Important Timestamps

• 16:53 – Reading and discussing Luke 19:1–10 (Zacchaeus)
• 21:57 – Comparing faith backgrounds and feeling “behind”
• 36:04 – Jesus calls Zacchaeus by name, not by his sin or job title
• 43:11 – How love and acceptance drove Zacchaeus (and Arielle) to real change
• 47:54 – The instinct to give as the fruit of true conversion
• 56:55 – Angela’s confession of feeling unworthy in ministry
• 59:51 – Encouragement: God loves you in your imperfection
• 62:00 – The power of confession and community in breaking shame
• 64:05 – “Go” – The call to action for listeners

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Tone & Style

The episode is conversational, vulnerable, empathetic, and filled with humor amidst the heaviness. Angela and Arielle model honesty about struggles, encouraging listeners to embrace grace, seek healing, and believe they are never disqualified from God’s love or purpose.

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Summary for Non-Listeners

This episode offers a safe space for anyone struggling with feelings of shame, inadequacy, or being “written off”—no matter where you are in your faith journey. Through the relatable story of Zacchaeus, Angela and Arielle unpack the radical inclusivity and love of Jesus. No mess, no mistake, no past can keep you from His invitation. The hosts share openly about their own doubts, shortcomings, and moments of feeling unqualified, making it clear: perfection isn’t the entry point—grace is. The episode is both a balm for wounded souls and a challenge for Christians to extend the same grace to others.

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Transcript

[Angela]

Foreign

[Ari]

you guys, have you ever been in a relationship and you kept having unwanted doubts like do I love them enough? Am I really happy? What if God has someone better for me? And those questions felt impossible to ignore. And suddenly you're repeatedly praying for certain things or sign constantly comparing your relationship to others, asking friends what they think over and over again, but you can't find peace no matter what you try. Unwanted relationship doubts can feel so real and so scary. But here's what's important to know. Thought like these Can Be a Sign of Relationship OCD Unlike the stereotypes about being organized, real OCD is a serious condition that can latch onto anything we care about. Relationship OCD creates this never ending loop of doubt and anxiety followed by behaviors you do to try to feel better, but the relief never lasts. But OCD doesn't have to take over your relationships because it's highly treatable with a type of specialized therapy called Exposure and Responsive Prevention or erp. And that's why I want to tell you about nocd. NOCD is the world's leading OCD treatment provider and all of their licensed Therapists specialize in ERP. Therapy with an OCD is 100% virtual, covered by insurance for over 138 million Americans and includes support between sessions. Their therapists are extensively trained, deeply understanding and ready to help you reclaim your relationships. If any of this sounds like you or someone you care about, visit nocd.com and book a free 15 minute call to learn more about how NOCD can help. That's N O C D.com hey there,

[Angela]

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[Ari]

Every Style, Every home. Oh Lord, I love your blowout today. You should give us a tutorial on how to do that.

[Angela]

I did it myself.

[Ari]

It looks beautiful.

[Angela]

I just.

[Ari]

Your hair always looks good. My mom says that. No, Angela's hair looks so full and yours looks flat.

[Angela]

No, that's how I feel about you. Thank you for saying that because I think I've been having really bad Hair dysmorphia recently.

[Ari]

Why? You know, your hair's been. Been heron.

[Angela]

My hair's been heron.

[Ari]

I'm trying to sound like a Gen

[Angela]

Z. Yeah, we need to be more like Gen Z.

[Ari]

Like, what do they say they do other than the clock?

[Angela]

I can't clock it. Clock it. I'm addicted to. But they say, like, whack. Like, that's so whack.

[Ari]

I used to say that when I was little.

[Angela]

Okay, maybe that's millennial whack. I feel like we are Gen Z.

[Ari]

That's so whack.

[Angela]

That's so whack. Like, that's like the devil's whack.

[Ari]

What a dirt ball.

[Angela]

What if that's something you call him?

[Ari]

A bum bum. I'm trying to expand my vocabulary.

[Angela]

Should we start reading the dictionary?

[Ari]

Yeah. I wish I listened a little more in school.

[Angela]

Thank you for saying that. You know, it's my. It's my one thing. I wish I listened during his class.

[Ari]

Kids in high school that are listening do not bypass classes.

[Angela]

Thank you.

[Ari]

And skip school to go to the corner store. Okay.

[Angela]

Where were you going?

[Ari]

I was going to the corner store to get, like, sodas and candies.

[Angela]

Oh, I thought you meant, like, drugs.

[Ari]

I really. I wasn't like, a drug.

[Angela]

I don't know.

[Ari]

A lot of kids were in my school. Yeah, no, I listen in your classes.

[Angela]

Honestly, one day you guys are going to get to the age where you're, like, interested in different topics, and then you're going to say, oh, I should actually already know all this. I learned it, but I wasn't listening because I didn't care then. We're telling you right now. Listen, because one day you're gonna care. Not about algebra.

[Ari]

No, really, about algebra.

[Angela]

Okay.

[Ari]

I was sure I was sounding.

[Angela]

Tell me the last time you had to do. I don't even remember what it's called. You know how it's like numbers? It's like in a little house, and it goes like this, and then there's a number on the outside.

[Ari]

No. Oh, yeah. What is it called, Thomas? What is it called when you the the now and you put the number on top? Long division.

[Angela]

What is long division? And why do you know that?

[Ari]

Because he's wicked. Smack.

[Angela]

What is long division? And when in my life has I ever had to not only divide, but long divide?

[Ari]

What was your favorite subject?

[Angela]

Drama, dance and singing.

[Ari]

Well, that was. That's not a subject.

[Angela]

Okay, sorry. Well, it's a class. My favorite subject was probably. It was math, actually. I actually was good I was actually really good at algebra and I don't remember long division. One time I was so delusional in school. I remember my teacher was probably like this girl is an idiot. I was in school, I didn't even go to school. I like literally I got like okay, I got good grades, they were fine. But I certainly wasn't like Harvard level grades. And one time in front of my whole class I looked up like what GPA you had to have to get into Harvard. And I told everyone I was going to Harvard because I genuinely like, that's

[Ari]

how I told someone that recently actually.

[Angela]

That you went to Harvard?

[Ari]

Yeah.

[Angela]

Why?

[Ari]

I don't know. I felt really cool when I did it. I had a Harvard sweatshirt on.

[Angela]

Oh.

[Ari]

They didn't believe me though.

[Angela]

They didn't.

[Ari]

I said is it the hair?

[Angela]

Yeah. What? Like it's hard getting into Harvard.

[Ari]

Legally Blonde.

[Angela]

Legally Blonde.

[Ari]

Well, I struggled a lot in school as I've shared many times. So I hope you feel less alone because it's a real struggle.

[Angela]

It is a real struggle to watch

[Ari]

everyone around you in class like just acin in because some people are just naturally really smart and then some people really struggle. For me, even now I have to read something seven or eight times to get it where someone like you can read it and then you go right on and you know what I mean? So. So like we all have different brain chemistry and either way it's okay. It helps me study harder. But I remember I used to condemn myself. So I used to be embarrassed to be in class. Like I would get severe anxiety when I would know I have a test. Cause I know all the kids would like yeah. And then, and then I would be sitting there like my brain didn't work as fast. I couldn't comprehend things. It was a struggle for me in school.

[Angela]

I have been thinking about this so much recently. Like the fact that we need to write a friggin letter or something. Because the fact that the education system grades every child on the same way and type of learning when every child is so different and like some people's brains do work for the type of tests that are in school and so many kids brains aren't like that. They learn in completely different ways. So how can we measure like the intelligence of children? Like yeah, with one test it makes

[Ari]

no sense and, and teacher and people don't understand like how it's humiliating sometimes. Yeah. I used to pay this girl in chips so I could cheat off her tests.

[Angela]

That is iconic, isn't it? Yeah. I cheated a Lot in school, too.

[Ari]

I used to literally, like, pawn, like, bags of chips. I used to bring them. Nice to be like, here, you want these? Can I look? She's like, yeah, give me it. It was crazy.

[Angela]

I was trying to make money. When I was in high school, I was working at Panera Bread. I was trying to make extra money. So I started doing people's homeworks and tests for money, but I wasn't even doing my own. Like, I was. I was like. I didn't care about, like, my own grades. Like, it just meant not.

[Ari]

You were just like a little rebel. I was the opposite. I was so scared of teachers. I was like a teacher's pet.

[Angela]

You would so be a teacher's pet. You would so be a teacher's pet. Well, adults love you.

[Ari]

I know. What is that?

[Angela]

Because you're freaking cute. Everybody loves you.

[Ari]

This one. One time, this girl came from. I don't wanna say it.

[Angela]

Say it.

[Ari]

I like it. This one time, I was in. I also used to get severe anxiety when lunchtime would come because I was. I was like, where do I sit? And then I. You know. But I would. I was sitting at lunch and this girl came and sat next to me, and she's like, what's up, Riley? You wanna meet after school? And I was like, to fight? Yeah. And I was like, to fight. I go, no, I don't want to meet you. And as I'm saying, no, I don't want to meet you. She. Do you guys remember the fruit topias? She took a fruit topia and she started pouring it down my head. And that was the last. I was like, I'm. That this. No one will ever do this to me ever again. I was done. And then I became like. You know when you. Just, like.

[Angela]

The same thing happened to me.

[Ari]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Angela]

Something you get messed with one time and you're like, never again. That's crazy.

[Ari]

But that. That also, when you're a kid and someone screws with you like that, like some. You. You. You have, like, this hardened heart where you just like, the minute somebody does something, you want to fight. Yes. And so that's something I've really had to work on with Jesus. Wow. Of offense and, like, not, you know,

[Angela]

defending yourself and, like, protecting yourself.

[Ari]

Yes. With the forgiveness and stuff like that, you know?

[Angela]

Can you imagine how many kids get traumatized by other kids in school? Like, I don't want my kids to go to school.

[Ari]

You don't want your kids to go to school. I am scared to be a mother. I will literally Beat these kids up if they.

[Angela]

I would kick a kid.

[Ari]

Like those movies, the comedies were like, the moms like kick the kids. I will like. Yeah, we, I, I. My mom tells me all the time, she's like, you guys have to do an episode on bullying. No, but it's true. Yeah. I mean I'm sure so many would you gu to see a episode on bullying?

[Angela]

I think that'd be so good.

[Ari]

I think it would be so good. I think people need it. There's so much bullying which then leads to suicide. Suicide, especially where I'm from. It's insane. It is the saddest thing I've ever seen.

[Angela]

And severe mental health struggles.

[Ari]

Yes, yes. Bullying. Le can. When you're a kid, you get bullied like that. It leads to like self worth issues and just. Yeah, we should do a whole episode on it.

[Angela]

I saw something on Instagram the other day that I felt like was so this is a little bit off topic, but yes, let's do an episode on bullying. I saw something that said typically for children, like when they grow up, the way that they heard their parents speak about other people is usually the voice that they have in their own head in how they speak to themselves. So that's why just like, and I say that to say like kids, kids are kids. Kids bully. Like they do that, they're gaining strength and identity and you know, like at some point they're just kids. And then at some point they're replicating what they saw see at home and they're replicating the way that they hear their parents speak. And like how we speak in front of children is so unbelievably important. But like, isn't that crazy?

[Ari]

And how you raise your kid.

[Angela]

Yes.

[Ari]

Like you raise your kid to be a girl's girl. Like if you have a girl, you raise them to, to, to hype other girls up, to give girls compliments. To help people at school. School. The kids that are sitting by themselves at the lunch, at lunch, you teach them to go sit with that kid. Help them, like help them help other kids.

[Angela]

Teach your kids to always be the one who sees another kid that's alone and then go and include them.

[Ari]

Kindness.

[Angela]

I can't wait to see my kids do that.

[Ari]

I know.

[Angela]

Can I tell you something that my pastor said yesterday?

[Ari]

Yeah.

[Angela]

And I thought this was really important because I haven't been doing this. He says that no matter what you're reading in the Bible, you should open a gospel every day.

[Ari]

Oh yeah.

[Angela]

So I really like that because I'm in the Old Testament right now. And I was like, yeah, I haven't read the God. I haven't read like Luke or John or Mark or Matthew in a while. And so I just want to say what he told me, which I think was really profound. It's like you get like a little bit of the life of Jesus in you every single day. I think that's important, right?

[Ari]

Yeah.

[Angela]

Even just a chapter of passage doesn't matter. But.

[Ari]

And read it more than once. What I've learned about even our podcast is you got to keep reading it and getting it into your bones and then seeing yourself in the story. And for me, like, that looks like reading it like five times. The next morning I come back and read it again.

[Angela]

Yeah.

[Ari]

And I get new revelations every single time.

[Angela]

And I would say too, we probably will like reread stories sometimes and reteach some stories. Like we want to talk about Lot's wife again. Because we have new perspective, a new angle, like more to talk about. And I do, you know, and so. And like other stories that we've already read before that we're like, oh, we've already read that. Okay. Yeah, I love listening to a sermon about the same passage. You know, Girls gone Bible is proud to be sponsored by Grand Canyon University, an affordable, private, non profit Christian university based in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona. They say higher education is outdated, irrelevant. GCU doesn't settle for the status quo, they shatter it. Grand Canyon University is one of the largest universities in the country. At gcu, academically rigorous, industry driven programs are built to move at the speed of relevance with practical skills, career readiness and opportunity for every learner. As of December 2025, GCU offered 380 programs overall, including 153 degree programs, 180 emphasis and 56 certificate programs. GCU believes education shouldn't be a privilege, but an affordable path forward for all. Grounded in Christian truth. GCU works to empower the next generation to lead with integrity, serve with purpose and help transform their communities. Building a future that matters. GCU is purpose driven education. Take action. Find your purpose at gcu. Private Christian, affordable, non profit. Visit GCU Edu to learn more.

[Ari]

We talk a lot about living with intention and being faithful in the small things. And something I've been thinking about lately is how that also applies to how we take care of our bodies like our bodies are temples. But real life makes that hard stress. What we eat, everything we're balancing, it all adds up. That's actually why I started using Dose. It's a simple daily 2 ounce shot that supports your liver. And I love it because it's easy. It's not another capsule, not a powder. It literally tastes like fresh squeezed orange juice, which is my favorite. And I don't even realize how much the liver dose it's responsible for over 500 functions in your body, like energy, digestion, all of it. So for me, this has just become one of those small daily habits, a simple way to support my body so I can show up with more energy and clarity in my life. It's also clinically backed, which matters to me because there's so much out there and I want to trust what I'm taking. So if you're ready to honor your health and invest in your future self, try dose with code GGB new customers can save 35% on your first month of subscription by going to dosedaily co/ggb or entering GGB at checkout. That's D O S E D a I l y.c co ggb for 35% off your first month subscription. Did you know Fast Growing Trees is actually the largest online nursery in the US? They have thousands of plants and over 2 million happy customers, which is kind of crazy. But I'll be honest, I'm not someone who's trying to spend my entire weekend driving around to different nurseries, getting dirt everywhere in my car trying to figure out what plant will actually survive. That's why I love Fast Growing Trees. Everything is online and they literally help you figure out what works for your space, your climate, your lifestyle, all of it. And when mine showed up, it was already healthy, thriving and honestly way easier to plant than I expected. Also, landscaping can get expensive fast, so being able to order something I trust, have it delivered, and know it's backed by their alive and thrive guarantee just made the whole process feel less overwhelming. And they have everything. Fruit trees, privacy trees, houseplants. And you don't even need a big yard. You can literally grow things inside. I honestly really can't wait to gift one to my sister right now. They have great deals on spring planting essentials, up to half off on select plans and listeners to our show get 20% off their first purchase when using the code GGB at checkout. That's an additional 20% off. Better plants and better growing at fast growing trees.com using the code GGB at checkout. Fast growing trees.com GGB and now's the perfect time to plant. Let's grow together. Use GDB to save today. Offer is valid for a limited time. Terms and conditions may apply so today

[Angela]

we're going to talk. We're going to read from Luke 19, verses 1 to 10. It's Jesus brings salvation to Zacchaeus's home. No, to Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus.

[Ari]

Zacchaeus.

[Angela]

Thank you. I'm confused.

[Ari]

I got you. I'm a Bible scholar now.

[Angela]

I love this story so much because there's so many different beautiful nuggets in it and so many different angles we can take. But something I just want to talk to people, we want to talk to people about specifically is if you've ever felt written off, if you've ever felt like you have a past and you're from a specific family or you've done all these things or you've looked a certain way your whole life and you feel like people have already decided who you are and that so many people struggle in coming into the. Into faith is there's so much shame about where you've been or who you've been, Ari And I know firsthand what it's like to be questioned for our past, discredited because of our past coming into Girls Gone Bible when we weren't fully sanctified. We did come from a provocative life. We did come from the world. We. It was so intimidating, so shame provoking. Like there was. So it was hard.

[Ari]

Yeah.

[Angela]

And since then, we have, you know, luckily gained some respect. Right. We've proved ourselves in some ways, but that still is there. Like we. I still all the time have the thought of like when I'm walking onto a stage. Not all the time, but there are times like I was, we were at Jesus image and we both talked about working through a little bit of shame because it's such a holy place. And we know intellectually that we have been washed by the blood of Jesus. We've been made new. Neither of us live in habitual sin. We don't tolerate sin. Doesn't mean we're perfect, but we don't actively tolerate any sin. And we were both like, this is. You become aware of where you've been or who you've been. And, and we just want to say that this story talks to that person of being like, I don't care where you've been, what your past looks like, where you even currently are, nobody can write you off. And you're gonna have people look at you and say, oh really? Like they're posting Bible verses. Really, they're talking about Jesus. Do you know where they've been? Actually, let me, let me tell you where I've been to show you how amazing God is to show you how insane a life with Jesus is. Is. And how it can truly transform you in a moment like that. And so if you felt written off, this is for you. I know we have. And so I'm really excited.

[Ari]

And even as you were saying that, I mean, I always relate it to my own life. Like you could even feel written off in your singleness.

[Angela]

Yeah.

[Ari]

Because it's been so long and you just feel like you're written off, forgotten. You feel like you're forgotten. I just want to let you know that you're not forgotten.

[Angela]

Yeah.

[Ari]

Even like a sickness, you feel like you're forgotten because you haven't had healing yet. Yeah. There's so many things. Like even I had a moment. Yes. Not yesterday. I had a moment the day before yesterday where I had a moment of feeling forgotten. Even if you fall again, even when you're on your walk and you fall again, you feel like all of a sudden God has departed from you and you're forgotten and you're not. Yeah. Okay. So I just wanted to. When you were saying that, I just thought about that and even.

[Angela]

And to be really vulnerable. Like, Ari and I both struggle with self condemnation times a million. And you and I both struggle with harping on mistakes that we make and having shame about them and having shame in failures. And like, I know what it's like and you do too. To feel like because you've made mistakes or you didn't live up to your full godly potential, or you didn't treat this person right, or you didn't do this thing well, or you didn't, whatever. Like, I know how easy it is to feel like, okay, I'm fully written off. Like, that was my one shot. I'm written off. I like, no mistake that you can make in your life will be. Has the power to write you off. Not with a life. With Jesus, there is always the opportunity to learn. Get up again, try again, keep going, do better next time. And if you fail again, guess what? The same thing applies then you again, you learn by the grace of God and you keep going and you try again. Nothing has the power to write you off.

[Ari]

And we need to keep reminding ourselves of that because this Christian life, the condemnation of feeling so forgotten and so condemned is making people run. And we forget about the cross and the blood of Jesus, how it covers us.

[Angela]

I love that you say that. I think something I've experienced, which I think you have too, is we have so many friends who come from similar lifestyles than. And lives that we do. And then we have a lot of friends who are pastors, kids who are generational Christians who have, like, a long line of Christian, great godly Christian parents and grandparents. And they. Not saying that they don't fight their own battles, because everybody does, and it's not comparable. But I can find myself feeling so ashamed, even today, like, even now, all the time, of looking at people who simply. It feels like I. I'm just gonna be honest. It feels like they almost have a head start. Like they're. They don't have to deal with some of the traumas and the sin issues or the sin fallout that we do. And so sometimes I look at godly Christian friends who just, like, get it right more than I do, and I'm like, oh, I, like, got it wrong again. Oh, this trauma is coming up. Like, this toxic or, like, unhealthy behavioral pattern is coming up again. And I look at other Christians who, like, were never exposed to that, whereas we're, like, actively, every single day coming against a wiring that's taken place our whole lives, trying to be godly in all our ways, trying to not operate out of trauma and fear and insecurity and all that stuff. And I find when I compare myself, I find myself in a really bad state. And it's happened so much recently for me, where I'm like, okay, but they don't make the mistakes that I do. They know how to handle that situation. They know they handle conflict better than I do. You know what I mean? And so I just. Also, we want to speak to the people who, like, don't come from a Christian background. And I feel like people don't talk about that enough. Yes, Jesus saves your life and gives you a new life in the moment, and then you spend forever trying to rewire what you've known your whole life. And it's so hard. And it's like a part of following Jesus is also no longer operating out of trauma, and that takes a lot of healing and that. And, like, I've just been incredibly humbled and. Because I feel like you can know so much about Jesus and you know so much about the Bible and the things of God. But then when push comes to shove, it's like all of that stuff is still in there and needs to come out. And it. Yeah, I. What I'm trying to say is when you don't come from a Christian background, family life, again, not that they don't have their own issues, everybody does. But, like, we see you, if you're actively working, you Know, against a lifetime of issues. And I feel like people don't talk about that enough.

[Ari]

Yeah.

[Angela]

Because there are way things that are going to come up that are like, oh, that was ungodly. That was not right. And me and Ari are working through stuff like that every day.

[Ari]

And I. I just want to speak to you, comparing yourself to the Christian people. And it's something that I've gotten to really see because, you know, this is all new for me personally, but I just want to speak to you that maybe they have issues, that maybe that you have issues that you're looking on the outside and you feel like they don't have. But let me tell you about the heart that you have because of everything that you went through and the hunger and the tenacity and the way you stay so closely to Jesus and they have issues that you don't have. That's why comparison is a thief, because it's not all what you see on the outside. Ange, Thanks.

[Angela]

I love you.

[Ari]

And the problems that you think you have, it's. We all.

[Angela]

We're all a little screwed up.

[Ari]

But it's so crazy because I was. I was just saying. I was like, I couldn't be more blessed to be a mess up. Because I'm like, it's like, we can relate. How would we relate to people?

[Angela]

I know. It's so true.

[Ari]

You know what I mean?

[Angela]

Even for a little kooky sometimes even

[Ari]

for a little cookie. What made you cry?

[Angela]

Because you know how to minister to my heart really easily. It's our gift. I realized recently because we used to say, like, I teach and you preach. And I think another thing that we do is like, I teach and you counsel. That's like the dynamic of our.

[Ari]

Oh, my gosh, I have chill bums. Yes.

[Angela]

You're a counselor. Like, you counsel people through, like. So if you ever are like, oh, I wish. I like, whatever the insecurities that you have. I wish I knew more. Learn faster. Who freaking cares? You are called to counsel people into the heart of Jesus.

[Ari]

That is so sweet.

[Angela]

Yeah.

[Ari]

I had so many times when we were at Jesus Image and I kept looking at her and I said, thank God you put us together.

[Angela]

It all makes sense. Such a good dynamic.

[Ari]

This girl asked us what we should. Asked us about modesty and. And what to wear to the beach, you know, bathing suits. Specifically bathing suits. And I had a moment where I. I actually had nothing to say. And I went completely silent and I looked down and I was like. Because it's something that I'm still working through. I honestly don't know what to wear to the beach.

[Angela]

Yeah.

[Ari]

And so I was just like, I didn't know what to say and I like, blacked out. And I looked at Angela and I was like, she wants to know what to wear for bathing suits. And everybody started dying laughing because they knew that.

[Angela]

I say everyone was laughing so hard. Well, because I like when. And I talked about like, modesty and how important it is not to make a brother stumble and like, truly all the things that we believe, like, how important it is, like to dress in a way that is not provocative and blah, blah, blah, to honor God, but also to protect other people. And then like, we could have just like went to the next question, but Ari was like, yeah. And I think like, you know, and then she goes and she wants to

[Ari]

know about bathing suits because, Lucky, I do too. I want to come out with a line so bad. Cute, stylish.

[Angela]

If you don't start a modest, fashionable clothing line, you're sleeping. I'm trying to be Gen Z. You're freaking sleeping, dude.

[Ari]

We need modest bathing suits that are actually cute, that don't look like we're wearing a friggin diaper.

[Angela]

Well, and to poop in, honestly. You're absolutely right. And I will say, like, they're some of my favorite brands. Like Frank, I don't even know.

[Ari]

Frankie Bikinis.

[Angela]

Frankie Bikinis. My favorite.

[Ari]

Frankie xggb.

[Angela]

But I don't know if a bikini line is our next step. I don't know if we'll talk about

[Ari]

that in the meeting.

[Angela]

Why not? I don't know. I just. Who's gonna mod love going to the beach?

[Ari]

Oh, yeah. No Christian girls model.

[Angela]

What a nightmare.

[Ari]

We couldn't even wear yo. We couldn't even wear workout pants. Not modeling everything, anything ever again after that.

[Angela]

No, me neither. But Frankie's my favorite bathing suit brand. Has full coverage bottoms. It has full. And do you want to know what I do to cover? Yeah, I get an extra. I get the size up bathing suit. I modest cover the size up. And then I get it tailored. I know not everybody is able to do that. And then I get it tailored to like bring it in on the side so it. It covers. It covers.

[Ari]

Well, that's good, Ange. I'm so glad I'm still on this walk with you girls. I'm. I'm not going to lie.

[Angela]

And you know what to say about modesty. What I said to the Jesus image students is girls, we actually have to dress for our bodies. We all have different bodies. There are things Ari can wear that I can't. There's things I can wear that Ari can't. And we. You can't base it off what other people are wearing. You have to, basically.

[Ari]

And it's your own conviction.

[Angela]

Right?

[Ari]

Like, I'll be like. Like, literally look in the mirror. Like, God, no, I will do this. I'll be like, does this honor you?

[Angela]

Yeah.

[Ari]

And I'll know right away. Probably not with that top.

[Angela]

Probably not.

[Ari]

That's lil. Low cut. Anyways, he's like, sorry, okay.

[Angela]

Zacchaeus, king of kings.

[Ari]

Zacharias, my king of kings. My king of kings.

[Angela]

All right, so Luke 19, verse 1 to 10. Jesus brings salvation to Zacchaeus's home. Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region and he had become very rich. Sorry to interrupt. I just want to let you guys know. So he was the chief tax collector. He was. So this man was hated throughout Israel. Like, he basically. Why tax collectors are so bad. Like, when you hear. I didn't even know this for a long time. The reason tax collectors are sinners is because the Roman government, the way that they got so much money was that they forced the people of Israel to pay taxes to the Roman government. But it was like, it was not fair. Taxes, like they were getting robbed and overcharging people. Overcharging people, taking so much money from them. So that's why, like this was a bad thing.

[Ari]

It was basically like Wall Street.

[Angela]

It was like. It was. Honestly, it was like Gavin Newsom, like, can I say that? My gosh, it was kind of like the state of California. Yeah, we're just kidding. Literally, it was the state of California. Robbing people. No, really. The Romans put heavy taxes on all nations under their control. Under their control. The Jews opposed these taxes because the taxes supported a secular govern government and its pagan gods. But they were still forced to pay. Tax collectors were among the most unpopular people in Israel. So this is why people hate tax collectors so much. It says that they're Jews by birth, but they chose to work for Rome and were considered trait. Besides, everyone knew that tax collectors are making themselves rich by gouging their fellow Jews. So this guy Zacchaeus, he's a chief tax collector and he had become very rich. So he was so wealthy at the expense of all the Jews and people did not like him. He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. This is our short king, Zacchaeus. He ran ahead and climbed a sycamore. Sycamore fig. I can't read. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.

[Ari]

When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name, Zacchaeus. He said, quick, come down. I must be a guest in your home today. Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. But the people were displeased. He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner. They grumbled.

[Angela]

Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord to stand before the Lord. Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, I will give half my wealth to the poor Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much. Jesus responded, salvation has come to this home today. For this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the son of man came to seek and save those who are lost.

[Ari]

I love that Jesus always adds in when somebody is rich.

[Angela]

Yeah.

[Ari]

Because it just. No matter. It's just like our world today. You think like society tells you, that if you make it, if you have this amount of money, once you get to the top, that will be your happiness. And all through the Bible, it just tells they were lacking something. They were lacking something. They in.

[Angela]

And it's.

[Ari]

I love this because he had all the money, yet there was a hole in his heart. You will never be satisfied. We have lived in LA and we have seen the wealthiest of the wealthiest. And you guys have probably seen with celebrities and they get to the top and so many of them are suicidal. Why? Because they recognize that it means nothing. It means nothing. Well, yes, having a good living and working hard is good, but if you do not have Jesus, you will be empty.

[Angela]

Yeah.

[Ari]

So I love that they always add that he was rich. Yeah, but lacking.

[Angela]

That's so good. R. And God never says that being wealthy is a sin. Like, God never says that you can't be rich or you can't have money, but the way you make your money and how you use your money is incredibly important. And tithing is so important. It's so, so important. 10% of all of your income. And then like Ari said, no matter how much money you have, it will never fulfill you. Like, yeah, actually we know because we've seen it a million times over. It will never fulfill you.

[Ari]

Yeah.

[Angela]

The first four verses, where Jesus enters Jericho, he meets Zacchaeus and I love this moment so much. Because we see Zacchaeus. He's a wealthy, powerful man. He has no. Like, again, like we said, like, you see wealthy people, and they just seem like they're. They got it all. They're solid. They're good. So imagine like one of the wealthiest people you've ever seen is now climbing a tree like a child to get to Jesus because he's aware that there's something in him that longs to see Jesus. And that is the posture that all of us should take. We should be willing to go to the extreme measures. This is a grown man climbing a tree, like in Matt. Picture that. That's deal. Because he's that desperate to see Jesus. Jesus, because he knows that he's full of sin. And he's also completely empty.

[Ari]

Yeah, I love that. Like, yeah, like you said, like, he's. He's this wealthy man, and he gets, like, pushes through that shame. I'm sure, like, what he felt like this wealthy man climbs up on a tree, but he goes up on the tree and he. To get a look at Jesus because he. Because he's hungry and he's seeking.

[Angela]

So humble.

[Ari]

And, yeah, he humbles himself. And then Jesus looks up at him and calls him by what? By his name. He doesn't call him sinner. He doesn't call him a tax collector. How much of us have those voices in our head where the enemy wants to be? Like, you're not worthy. You just fell short again. Why would you go back and try to pray?

[Angela]

Why?

[Ari]

Just. Just leave this thing? Like, you're unworthy. You're. You come from the world. You. You just sinned again. You know, that's what I know. For me, like, my mind of unworthy thoughts tormented me. I'll be honest. Before this, going to the gym or not going to the gym felt like a whole internal debate. Like, do I go? Do I not go? And then when I do go, I'd walk. And then I'd be like, okay, what are we doing today? And just start doing the random things and hoping for the best. Best. And it's actually overwhelming when you don't have a plan. You're just in there moving weights around and praying it does something. That's why I started using the ladder app. What I love. It's not just random workouts. It's a plan from a coach. And every week builds on the last. So I actually feel like I'm progressing instead of starting over every time. And it really does feel like having a personal trainer in your ear. It walks you through every set, tells you what to do and I don't even have to think about it, which is honestly personally my favorite part. It also tracks everything. My weights, my reps, steps so I can actually see myself getting stronger. And there's a group chat with your coach and other people doing the same program which makes it feel so less lonely. And the craziest part, you guys, it's less than a dollar a day. Remove the guesswork with ladder and get a real coach in your ear telling you exactly what to do every workout, no thinking, everything planned for you. If you have an iPhone, head to ladder fit GGB to take a quick quiz to find your perfect ladder plan. Use my link and get a free 7 day trial with no credit card and $10 off your first month if you join. Okay, I'm so excited to tell you about our sponsor, Avocado Green Mattress. Their certified organic mattresses are specifically designed to relive pressure points, support your body to the way it needs, and help you actually get the deep restorative sleep you've been missing. Every mattress is made with thoughtfully sourced materials and built with real care so you get incredible sleep night after night. And honestly, sleep has become something I take way more seriously when I invest in something for my it to last and feel intentional. That's what I love about Avocado. Their best selling green mattress. Supportive, comfortable and just feels really well made, not mass produced. I've been trying to be more mindful about what I bring into my space, especially the things I use every single day. And your bed is one of those things. So choosing something that's made with real materials and built to last just makes sense to me. Let me tell you, you can feel the difference. It's comfortable, it's supportive, and it just feels like something you're actually proud to have in your home. Avocado products, not manufactured, but thoughtfully crafted with real materials to deliver lasting comfort and support. Go to avocadogreenmattress.com GGB to check out their mattress and furniture sale. That's avocadogreenmattpress.com GGB avocadogreenmattrush.com GGB but he calls him by his name and then he says, quick, come down. I must be a guest in your home. So back then when you welcome someone in your home, that means acceptance.

[Angela]

Yes. Yeah.

[Ari]

So. And that's what Grace is. Before he was even, did Zacharias have to clean himself up? No, he was already accepted. That's what Grace is. You don't have to clean yourself up to come to Jesus. He comes and gets you and he calls you by name and he doesn't even ask for your permission. He just invites himself in. He's always knocking, always after you. That's the thing. But that little bit of faith as Zacharias just opening himself up, pushing through the shame seeking him. Jesus, he didn't have to do anything. He came and called him by name.

[Angela]

Yeah. So good. I love this moment too, where the crowds are furious and they're basically like, why would Jesus go to him? Why? Imagine this man is so rejected by everyone and we just want to speak to anybody who's listening. If, if there's anybody who doubts you, there are even Christians. A judgmental spirit is just the worst thing you can do. The worst, the worst, the worst, the worst. And I haven't been, I'm not completely innocent from having a. When I became a Christian, I'll tell you, there's a little self righteousness and a little judgment spirit that came over me and I, oh, I was doing

[Ari]

that with my family.

[Angela]

I, oh yeah, no, literally you. And there's a part of it that's just like, you're so excited and it's, it's not like you're a bad person because you're like that. It's just naturally what happens. You have to let the Lord humble you in that to be like, if, it's just like, if any. There are so many people watching who are like, why would Jesus go to someone who is rejected by so many people? How can God loves, love and accept the person that everybody else rejected? Because that's who he is. It's who he is. And I just love Jesus so much because he's our rebellious king who constantly goes against the grain. He roots for the underdog. He's just like, he's just a king. Like, he's amazing. He's so kind. And he always goes for the rejected. Like he is at like what the world rejects. Jesus goes after. And so if you're in a situation where you feel rejected or you feel not good enough, like God is after you specifically, he wants you. And again, he didn't wait for him to clean himself up. He said, hi, I'm coming into your house whether you like it or not, which I just think is so cute.

[Ari]

I don't know, when you were just talking about like religious, you see the character of Jesus, how he doesn't wait for you to fix your life. He literally comes in and transforms it. He meets him at the place that we're at. How much more is that, that we have to be accepting to others, to unbelievers, to people that just aren't spiritually right yet, that are trying to figure it out, that how much more grace do we have to have for those people? I love this because. Can we go to the next line? I love this because in the next line, Zacchaeus stood up before the Lord and he says, I will give half of my wealth to the poor Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much. Jesus. All Jesus had to do. And this is why I always talk about it. It was the love and the acceptance of Jesus. That mat that made Zakia say, I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to be a sinner. I don't want to be a cheater. But it was because Zak felt so accepted by Jesus. Yeah, that is what people. That is what we need. I remember that's what I needed in that church when I felt so far gone, drowning in my sin. When God called me that, called me by name that day in the church, and I felt so accepted and loved, it made me want to live for him. I wasn't perfect. I fell, but it made me say, who is this Jesus that called me by name, that loved me and accepted me? It's the love of Jesus that transforms our heart. And then he calls us to do that for others, to accept people, to love people, to meet them in the dirt where they're at. And so when I read this story, I just. I started to cry because I was like, yes, this is how we have to be with other people.

[Angela]

So good.

[Ari]

Meet them where they're at and love them. And that's. That's doesn't maybe not bring them to salvation. That's Jesus, but it's it. We water the seed. Because when you want people to look at you, you want people to see Jesus and say, I want what she has. I want the light of what she has. And that's our only job. And then you let God take care of the rest.

[Angela]

Anybody listening? Truly, we need to, every single one of us, let the Lord destroy any critical spirit, destroy any judgmental spirit. I can't imagine how many people that God has called us to help that we end up not helping because we're being critical or judgmental towards them. Who are we to judge anybody for their sin? Like, you know, it's one thing to be hypocritical, do one thing and say Another. And even in that, it's human weakness and frailty.

[Ari]

Yes.

[Angela]

You know what I mean? You're allowed to have an opinion on something and judge it in the way of, like, this is right and this is wrong, wrong. But to have a critical, condemning spirit towards somebody when they need you to pray for them, speak truth and life over them, instead of go behind their back and gossip about it or be like, hey, did you see this person sinning like this? Or even be like, I don't want a person like that in my life because they make these sort of like, that is. No, no. Who are we to literally judge anybody? Because in one moment, this hated man, in one moment of encountering Jesus, his heart changed completely.

[Ari]

I love what Michael Culiano said. He said this in a sermon. He said, who am I to point out other people's sin when I have so much of my own, dude? And that was such a slap in the face for me because I can. I want to shake some of my family members, so. And I can be that religious spirit. Why are you doing. And then I go back to those moments. Wait a minute. I was once there.

[Angela]

Yeah.

[Ari]

And I love what you say about praying, because do you know how powerful. Do you know the.

[Angela]

The.

[Ari]

The radical change I have seen in the lives of others by just praying behind their back, praying over them while they're sleeping. Like, you have no idea how. How much that can transform a life. So if somebody isn't responding to, you know, what you're saying about Jesus, and when you're just. Just pray for them. Pray for them. Praying for them fervently.

[Angela]

And keep loving, loving them. Keep loving them. Him. Yeah. And this is genuinely in this moment when he offers his money and says, I'm going to give half of my wealth to the poor. This is what happens when someone truly encounters Jesus. They naturally change. They naturally get convicted. None of it is forced. Jesus didn't even tell him to do that, but he saw Jesus, he touched Jesus, he encountered him, and naturally his heart followed.

[Ari]

And can I say one more thing about that? If you read this, he says, I'm not just gonna give half of my wealth if I've cheated anyone, I want to give all of it. And that's how we have to be as believers. I don't want to just have one foot in and one foot out. I want to give my whole being to you. Let me devote myself to you. I'm not just going to say, I'm a Christian. I'm going to show you with my actions Here, take my money. Let me help people. Let me steward it. Well, that's what it looks like to be a follower of Jesus. Not just saying you're a Christian, but actually the fruits of your life are in. And then you see, you see in the next line, Jesus responded. Salvation has come to this home today. It is the fruit of how you live your life. Look at what Jesus did. Salvation flooded through his whole house.

[Angela]

I really quick, before we move on, what you just said about how when you're a true Christian, you give and you give. It just came to me that imagine the first thing that Zacchaeus does when he recognizes Jesus, believes in Jesus, has faith in Jesus, the first thing he does, like his, the unction within him, is to give, to give away. To give your life to Jesus means to give it completely. To give to other people. That actually, that's so profound. That is like the. That is the. Should be the natural instinct of a true Christian. It's just simply to give.

[Ari]

Yeah, I have goosebumps right now. I feel the Lord.

[Angela]

So that's crazy.

[Ari]

Listen to this. I. As you were saying that, I remember the moment when I was in church, right? I wanted to be an actress so bad. I just, I was like, I need to make money. Like, what am I going to do? Well, it's okay, cuz we need to make money. And when we're struggling, we're freaking out. But I remember I would go to this church every day, and I will never forget the day my prayer changed. And I had been just saying, please bring me a job. Please bring me an acting job, please. And all of a sudden, I'll never forget this. I went like this, my hands like this. I said, God, if you give me the opportunity to help and love your people, I will never let you down. That prayer shifted when I could. When I started to let, like, know the love of Jesus, I didn't even care about anything anymore. I just wanted to give in love.

[Angela]

All right, guys, we need to talk to you about this. Because even if you're not a parent, but you have nieces or nephews like Ari and I do, or you just have kids in your life, you already know trying to get them to eat what they're supposed to eat. It's a whole situation. Like, one day they love something, and the next day it's, I don't want that. And suddenly family. It's snacks and chicken nuggets.

[Ari]

I love chicken nuggets.

[Angela]

Me too. Honestly.

[Ari]

And we didn't realize this until recently, but a lot of Kids deal with something called hidden hunger. I think you do that too.

[Angela]

Can I be honest? I think I have that too.

[Ari]

Where they're just not consistently getting the nutrients they need. That's honestly why we love first day

[Angela]

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[Ari]

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[Angela]

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[Angela]

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[Angela]

That's 1-800-FLowers.COM podcast.

[Ari]

When you just said that, I just remembered that day and Christ, that is so crazy.

[Angela]

But that was even your heart. What's interesting about Ari is that was her heart before she was ever a Christian. Before you, even you, Jesus, he was. You are. You were just already so much like him. Your life's. Yes, you wanted to be an actress, but like deep down you wanted to start a foundation. You wanted to help children. You have journals where you were like, I just want to help kids. I want to help kids with their mental health. That was your heart before even giving your life to Jesus. Seriously. And now she helps Me every day. Anyways, that's another episode. Today, salvation has come to this house. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost. This is our great shepherd. We all know the parable of the 99 sheep. He leaves the 99 to find the 1. God is a seeker. He seeks us out and then he saves us. He has dedicated his entire existence. He has dedicated the creation of the world. He made so much touch he had. He could literally do anything, anything he wants. And what he. His heart is for us is to seek and save the loss. And I love so much because this is the heart of the gospel. It's not fix yourself and then come to me. It's I see you. Yeah, I've seen you your whole life. Yeah, I've loved you when you didn't love me. I've known you when you didn't know me. I've cared deeply for you when you care, did not care about me. And guess what? I've been faithful to you even when you've been unfaithful. Faithful. And this is even our lives right now, while we are faithful, laid down lovers of Jesus every day, at least a hundred times a day, we have moments where we're not faithful. Because that's true. That's what it is to be a human in our thoughts and our actions and our tone and the. In the things that we do and everything. We're unfaithful and still God is faithful. So this is what's so important. He comes and I just love, love that we don't have to clean ourselves up. Because guess what? I could never. There's nothing I can't will myself into being the person that God has called me to be. It is the grace of God and the blood of Jesus that sets us free, changes us, sanctifies us, and makes us more like Jesus. And so this should be an encouragement to anybody listening that I. Again, we don't care where you are currently, where you've been in your life. Now is the moment for you to realize that God has always seen you and he is. It is his job to clean it up. It's his job to con, convict your heart and then to empower you to change. And Ari and I are currently walking through things personally that we're like, oh, geez, this makes us feel like kids right now. I've never felt more desperate for Jesus. I've never felt more like a repented sinner who needs a Savior. I have never felt less qualified to be in ministry. And I know it's the best place that I can be.

[Ari]

Thank you for saying that. I just feel so heavy right now. Even some of you guys are so deep into your faith and you just keep messing up and you don't feel worthy. And I wanna let you know, I am so messy. I can't believe the way I fall. And then I go back to the scripture of this line that says, I come to seek and save those who are lost. It's not before you're a Christian. We're all lost.

[Angela]

We're all lost.

[Ari]

Even deep into our faith, we're still lost. We fall. The only one who is righteous is Jesus Christ. And so I just. I don't know, I just. I keep thinking about that girl, Jesus image.

[Angela]

Yeah.

[Ari]

I think I've been thinking about her every day. Do you know, she just. She saved and she was like, I just feel unworthy to be a Christian. Do you remember her at the end? And it's like, enough is enough with the thoughts and the lies that condemn us.

[Angela]

Yeah.

[Ari]

I want you guys to start analyzing your thoughts.

[Angela]

Good.

[Ari]

I used to get tormented and beat up, and I used to submit to these thoughts. Listen to the thoughts. I listened to these thoughts. I started to listen to the thoughts. I'm like, oh, my gosh, it's diabolical.

[Angela]

It's horrible.

[Ari]

Yeah, they are nasty.

[Angela]

Nasty, dude.

[Ari]

Now I can, like. I can analyze them and kind of, like laugh at them. That's how you defeat the enemy. The lies that come, you like, wait, that's not. That's not real. And so start to analyze the thoughts, and then you will start to laugh at them. Because God will never condemn you. It will never condemn you. So don't submit to those lies. I just want to say one thing. Back to the salvation. Salvation has come to this home today, by the way Zacchaeus lived his life. I have a picture of his family and his home looking at him, a tax collector and a sinner, going, I will give you everything. It is by the fruit of your life that. That people, the way you live, that people will say to you, wait a minute. If she changed like that, what are some things that when Jesus called you by name and radically saved your life, what are the fruits in your life that your friends, that your family can look at you and say, there's got to be something more to this. If she changed like this, I can too. And so I just love that. Because salvation, this is what happens when we start to live out, when God calls our name, when we start to practice forgiveness, the Fruits of the spirit, be more humble, love people look more like Jesus. It's then when people look at you and say, you don't even have to do anything, when people look at your light and see the way you're living, that's what brings salvation into your home, into your friendships, all of these things. And so, so good. I just love that. I love that what you said earlier about

[Angela]

crying to a friend, saying there that you feel unworthy to be in ministry. I had a moment at your house where I was. I like, just broke down to Ari because I. Right, we keep talking about how, yes, like Zakus, this is before he saved, but even after you're saved, you're going to walk through seasons that probably produce shame, where you have fallen, fallen short, just not lived up to the person that you would have that you know that God has, that you haven't lived up to being the person that God has called you to be. And so I had a moment with Ari where I was crying and I, like, was so. I was struggling so badly because of the place that I had gotten to in my life. I, like, didn't know as a follower of Jesus that like, you could hit such a low. Like, I was so confused and that I was in such a dark place and I felt so incongruent. I was like, I don't know how to preach the hope of God when I don't have hope in me. I feel incongruent. I don't feel good, I feel dirty. I just feel so shameful. I, like, literally took my T shirt and I put it over my head because I couldn't even look at her. And I didn't even, like I was saying all of this, like, with my face buried. And I was like, I, I feel like Satan is trying to steal the call of God on my life. I don't want to be in ministry. I don't want to do this. I don't feel worthy. And I kept saying, like, God made a mistake, like, I wasn't actually called to this. And that is a place that even strong believers in ministry can get to more often than not. So if you're facing seasons like that, if you're facing moments like that where you feel so unworthy, you are not alone. And it's a lie. Like, it's a straight lie up lie. It's real because it's happening to you. The emotions are real, but it's not the truth. It's not rooted in any sort of truth. So we just want to say that for you guys to know, like, we go through stuff like that all the time. All the time, all the time. And honestly, the closer to you get to Jesus, the more you realize you. You really aren't worthy. We are only worthy because he makes us worthy, because we wear his righteousness or we righteous. Michael Kulanos always says this, and I love it so much. When he first. First got into ministry, I can't relate more to this, and he's been doing this a lot longer than we have. However, I feel I've definitely already gotten to this point where when he first got into ministry, he said he could have written you a long list of reasons why he deserved to be there. And now he finds himself when the list is completely empty. And when I first started ggb, I could have given you a list of reasons why I deserve to be here. And today, I genuinely mean the list is completely empty day, except for one thing. The grace of God, Two things, and the blood of Jesus. There is nothing on that list.

[Ari]

Yeah.

[Angela]

That qualifies. Like, there's nothing. Nothing. And I get. I imagine as we move forward in all of this, we'll just only become more aware of our weakness, which is a beautiful, humble, desperate place to be. So we say all that to say, like, again, no matter where you've been or how messy you are right now, now God already sees you and already wants you in the middle of your sin, in the middle of your mess, in the middle of your mental health struggles. He's obsessed with you. He loves you so much. And you have to remember one more thing. He knows our weaknesses. He knows how frail we are. He knows how weak. He knows the trauma that you've been through that causes you to behave in the way that you do. And he even knows the trauma that leads you to sin. Like, he knows all of that. Of that. And while he doesn't tolerate it, he also has compassion for it. And that's the lens through which you need to see Jesus, that he has compassion. When he looks on your weaknesses and the mistakes that you make, he's not looking at it like, my gosh, she's so annoying. Why can't she just look at her again? She. He has so much compassion.

[Ari]

He's just looking for you to turn back to him.

[Angela]

Yeah, exactly.

[Ari]

He's saying, let's try this again. Deal with it with me.

[Angela]

Yeah.

[Ari]

Repent to me. Cry out to me. Let's work on your heart.

[Angela]

So good.

[Ari]

It's gonna be okay. I know what you've been through. I know it's hard humility. Just returning to him with a broken and repentant spirit and just being like, I'm a mess up, I need help. We always look at God as like this judge, but he's a really good father.

[Angela]

He's such a girl dad.

[Ari]

He's such a good dad. I said girl dad, but yeah, girl dad he is. He loves his girls.

[Angela]

He loves his girls and his guys.

[Ari]

How did you feel real quick after you confessed everything that you were feeling and you cried out and you were so brutally honest. I will probably will never forget that day because that was just. But how did you feel when you cried out like that and you were. You confessed chest to me. Everything you were feeling. What did that feel like after?

[Angela]

So good, right? So good to get it off your chest. There's also. We all know that the second you say something out loud, it loses its power. Like, it's almost like the second you confess something, Satan is exposed because you hear. You're able to hear the lie. Like I was saying it and I meant it. But as it's coming out of my mouth, I'm also aware of like, like what is this? What is this garbage that I'm believing about myself? You know what I mean? And so, and then to have you speak life over me, we all for you to counsel me through that moment changed everything.

[Ari]

Your eyes, you looked up. It's like that when you just release that and you can cry to someone and you can be held. We just have to constantly be honest. Constantly confess. Yeah, constantly have people love us and pour into us cross.

[Angela]

And you look so much lighter than yesterday too. Like, you look so much happier too. Honestly. I have no problem calling whoever I

[Ari]

need to to be like, hey, carrying my cross yesterday, huh? Yeah, that was our episode. You have no problem. What?

[Angela]

I have no problem. I have no. I. I asked someone, hey, do you have the capacity for this right now? Like, because I'm about to dump. Like, do you? So I always ask, do you have the capacity? And if they say yes, which nobody's ever den me, praise God, I'm like, well, here's everything. And you actually, you're the only person. I don't ask if you have the capacity because maybe I should start asking.

[Ari]

Some people have boundaries. Some people have boundaries, have no idea what that is. When you. When it comes to friends and they want to cry.

[Angela]

Dude, we don't have. We come from boundaries. Boundaries who? Our families, please.

[Ari]

My mother would be like, oh, shut up.

[Angela]

I know. Can you imagine if we asked our moms hey, mom, do you have the capacity for this right now?

[Ari]

They'd be like, shut up. My mom would be like, do you

[Angela]

need to go to a doctor? Like, what is. I don't like that. Yeah.

[Ari]

When Jesus calls you by name and you. And he accepts you in, then he sends you out.

[Angela]

Yeah.

[Ari]

Go make disciples. Start that podcast. Go help someone that feels for God and go make someone feel seen. Go love on someone like Jesus did. Go meet someone where they're at. Go do something for someone. That is our mission.

[Angela]

Go talk to people about Jesus. The easiest thing you can do.

[Ari]

Go make that music.

[Angela]

I love that. Oh, that was for so many. If that was for you and you've been wanting to make music, write in the comments.

[Ari]

We love you guys.

[Angela]

We love you. And we missed our honeycomb. We love you guys. I think I like it here, honestly. I think we're going to be old, 80 and gray, and this is going to be our background. I don't even need a GGB freaking sign.

[Ari]

I want. No, no. Nobody likes that sign. I want to ask you guys, what do. Should we stay here? But that's going to be all the comments. Yeah.

[Angela]

And okay, if you comment about the set, if you like us here at the Honeycomb, or if you want us to get a new set, just. You have to also comment about Luke 19, please. You have to say both.

[Ari]

What do you think about Zaki?

[Angela]

Because Holy Week scared me a little bit. I was like, did anybody watch the episode?

[Ari]

Yes. Write something that you learned about Zacchaeus today.

[Angela]

Yeah. Is it Zacchaeus?

[Ari]

No, it's a kid. I think you called him Sakurai. My king of kings.

[Angela]

My king of kings. All right. We love you guys so much. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May he make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May he turn his face towards you and give you peace. Shalom. Shalom. We love you. We love you. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance.

[Ari]

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[Angela]

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