Intimate GGB Question Session | Girls Gone Bible

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Intimate GGB Question Session" | Girls Gone Bible

Date: January 30, 2026
Hosts: Ang (Angela Halili), Ari (Arielle Reitsma), and Christina (guest/co-host)

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Overview

This episode of Girls Gone Bible is an "Intimate GGB Question Session," in which Ang, Ari, and Christina answer listener-submitted questions about faith, mental health, shame, Catholic tradition, and advice for their younger selves. With warmth, candor, and humor, the women open up about their personal histories, discuss spiritual growth, and share scripture-based encouragement for anyone seeking a deeper relationship with Jesus.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

Lighthearted Banter & Personal Updates (03:38–06:21)

• The girls talk about hair, sleep habits, and Ari’s attachment to her childhood blankie.
• Memorable moment: Ang teases Ari for waking her up early over the missing blankie, blending humor with themes of friendship and vulnerability.
  • Quote:
    "Ari, bless her sweet soul, she's not really like a respecter of people's sleep. Like, if she has something to say..." (07:03–07:12, Ang)

Growing Up Catholic & Thoughts on the Catholic Church (11:35–16:42)

• Question: "The Catholic Church is so beautiful. Would you ever go back to it?"
• Ang shares about her Catholic upbringing and love for its tradition and reverence.
  • "I love Catholics. My mom is a die hard Catholic and I grew up Catholic ... I can't say that I know the discrepancies between, you know, Protestant and Catholic Church. I don't necessarily know why there's like a divide ... there's so much about the Catholic Church that I am obsessed with." (11:55–13:00, Ang)
• Christina reveals meaningful experiences in a Catholic church and how she met Jesus in that setting (13:43–14:48).
  • "When I encountered Jesus, I found him in the Catholic Church … as soon as I walk in, it's like tears just start flowing down my eyes. It's like the most holiest place that I go to." (13:43–14:10, Christina)
• Both express deep respect and inclusion for Catholic listeners.

Favorite Christian Books (19:26–22:07)

• The hosts recommend:
  • The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren (20:13–20:23, Christina)
  • The Bait of Satan by John Bevere (21:02, Ang)
  • Good Morning, Holy Spirit by Benny Hinn (21:11)
  • Birthing the Miraculous by Heidi Baker
  • Also mention Francis Chan and Charles Stanley as impactful authors/pastors.
  • "I like books that lead to supernatural encounters ... if I'm going to be able to read something, I want to read the Bible." (21:56–22:07, Ang)

Overcoming Shame After Sin (22:07–36:58)

• Question: How can I overcome the feeling of shame when I fall into sin?
• Ang emphasizes that real change, not just regret, breaks the cycle of shame:
  • "Repentance is not crying. Repentance is changing ... The cure to guilt and shame is just changed behavior because it sets you free." (22:15–23:15, Ang)
• Christina acknowledges struggling with repeated sin and relying on God’s compassion and scripture to fight condemnation (25:28–28:53).
  • "I go to Scripture and I have to go back to the character of Jesus and be reminded of what he says ... The Lord is compassionate and merciful, and he's slow to get angry and he's filled with unfailing love." (25:43–27:10, Christina)
• Discussion of Psalm 103 and Psalm 51 as powerful antidotes to shame, with Ang reading sections aloud.
  • "Repentance is the antidote to shame. When you repent and you face your sin and you face what you've done and you repent and you change. Joy comes like that." (34:35–34:48, Ang)

Scriptural Anchor Points:

• Psalm 103:8–14 (God’s compassion and forgiveness)
• The story of the woman caught in adultery and Peter’s restoration (John 8; John 21)
• Psalm 51 (David’s prayer of repentance)

Advice to Their Younger Selves (37:28–45:42)

• Ang shares wounds from a complicated relationship with her earthly father, which affected her relationship with God and her self-worth.
  • "I wish I started ... restoring my relationship with the father ... my relationship to my dad is so broken, which has maybe made things complicated with my relationship to my heavenly father." (39:22–40:00, Ang)
• Christina reflects on the anxiety of her 20s, idolizing men, and the peace she finally found in Jesus.
  • "When I look back at my 20s ... I spent all those years just clinging to men and stressing out ... I would just say that everything is going to work out, that you're so loved ... no one will ever fulfill you. Only Jesus can." (43:02–44:23, Christina)

Scriptures to Combat Doubtful Thoughts (45:42–47:05)

• Ang and Christina share go-to scriptures:

  • Romans 15:13 ("May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him...")
  • Isaiah 41:10 ("So do not fear, for I am with you...")
  • Joshua 1:9 ("Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid...")
  • 2 Timothy 1:7 ("For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind.")

• Method: Personalizing scripture (reading/praying them as direct promises) and repeating them frequently during struggles with doubt.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Catholic-Protestant Unity:

• "We're one. We're all one if we agree on one thing, and that's the Trinity and Jesus and the cross and the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus." (16:35, Ang)

On Shame and Repentance:

• "The second I make a genuine change and I say I’m never doing that again ... the guilt and the shame automatically fall off of me because that’s in the past. That’s literally what grace is." (22:22–22:40, Ang)
• "Repentance is not a bad thing. It’s not a scary thing. Repentance leads to joy." (34:35, Ang)

On Scripture as Remedy:

• "When I start to feel condemnation in my mind, I have to remind myself of the character of Jesus." (27:10, Christina)
• "Go read Psalm 51, pray it over yourself. And believe ... that that's legitimately what's taking place in the spirit." (36:35, Ang)

On Growing Up and Father Wounds:

• "Not having a father's voice and always looking to a man ... giving so much authority to a man's voice in your life can cause you to end up in a really broken spot." (40:00–41:30, Ang)

Advice to Young Women:

• "Everything is going to work out, that you’re so loved ... no one will ever fulfill you. Only Jesus can." (44:23, Christina)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:38–06:21 – Personal stories, blankie anecdote
• 11:35–16:42 – Thoughts on the Catholic Church
• 19:26–22:07 – Favorite Christian books
• 22:07–36:58 – Shame, guilt, repentance, and overcoming condemnation
• 37:28–45:42 – Advice to their younger selves
• 45:42–47:05 – Scriptures to combat doubt

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Original Language and Tone

• The podcast is conversational, honest, and full of laughter, warmth, and spiritual vulnerability.
• The hosts often directly address listeners (“guys”), creating an intimate and inclusive feel.
• The tone ranges from playful teasing to heartfelt confession, always looping spiritual truths back to everyday experiences.

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Final Words of Encouragement (47:05–47:55)

• Read and study the Bible daily—both Old and New Testaments.
• Stay in community and create Bible studies with friends.
  • "Get in the Word, spend time with Jesus. Pray. Talk to him all day. Please read the Bible ... Study different books in the Bible. Get really deep. ... Let him completely change your life. We love Jesus so much." (47:05, Ang)
  • "Stay in community and create Bible studies. Get together with your friends and study His Word together and pray for each other." (47:47, Christina)

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Summary:
A richly encouraging, open-hearted Q&A session filled with scriptural wisdom, empathy, and sisterly camaraderie—perfect for anyone seeking honest faith conversation and practical spiritual guidance.

Transcript

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[Ang]

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[Ang]

Great.

[Angie]

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[Ari]

Okay, this episode is brought to you by nocd. Have you guys ever had a really stressful, unwanted thought pop up during worship? Maybe it made you feel like you needed to start your prayer over because it wasn't right or perfect, filled you with shame or caused crushing guilt because it felt like it offended God? A lot of people have thoughts like these, including me and Ange. And trust us, we know how scary and isolating they can be to struggle with. They can even lead to compulsive behavior like constantly asking for reassurance, punishing yourself or having bad thoughts, or worrying about participating in religious practices like praying incorrectly but here's what changed for us. Learning that these thoughts aren't character flaws or signs of weak faith. They might be symptoms of religious ocd, also known as scrupulosity. OCD is really misunderstood, so a lot of people are surprised to learn that it can focus on religion. But it's true. OCD can latch onto anything you deeply care about, including your faith. And when it does, it can be devastating. But there's hope, because with the right kind of therapy, OCD is highly treatable. That's where no CD comes in. With no cd, you can do a virtual therapy designed specific specifically for ocd. They're licensed therapists that deeply understand OCD as well as your faith and how important it is in your life. They'll help you work through these thoughts using Exposure and Response Prevention, or erp, a type of specialized therapy that's the most proven treatment for ocd. NOCD also accepts major insurance plans, including United Healthcare, Aetna, Cigna, and more, and provides always on support between your therapy sessions. If any of these sound familiar, you're not alone. NOCD can help. Visit nocd.com to schedule a free 15 and learn more. That's nocd.com to learn more and book a free call.

[Ang]

Hi. I can't believe how good the hair looks.

[Christina]

You love it?

[Ang]

I love it. You used to never be able to wear your hair down.

[Christina]

I know. I'm at a good length right now.

[Ang]

You're at a great length, great color.

[Christina]

You're always at a good spot with your hair.

[Ang]

I don't feel that way, but thank you. I think I have a whisker on this side coming out. You know, when I dice in my bangs too much and then it just, like, pops out on the side? It's my. I get so mad when I'm, like, watching the episodes back and I'm like, sit down.

[Christina]

Well, I started to use a heatless curling iron from Japan.

[Ang]

I know. I saw that.

[Christina]

And it's, like, changed everything. I know.

[Ari]

I don't.

[Christina]

I don't know what. What's going on.

[Ang]

Are you sure it's heatless because it was hot?

[Christina]

No, I swear it gets hot, but it's heatless. It's from, like, Japanese. It's like the new invention right now.

[Ang]

Okay.

[Christina]

So pretty soon we're going to be able to put our heads in a little thing. It's going to go, and we're going to come out, and our hair is going to be all done.

[Ang]

Oh, that's my dream. I think we already have stuff like.

[Christina]

That like the Jetsons.

[Ang]

Who are the Jetsons?

[Christina]

I don't know what. I think it's like a To the Future show.

[Ang]

But do you know what you're referencing?

[Christina]

Not really.

[Ang]

Okay.

[Ari]

Hi, I'm Ari.

[Ang]

Hi, I'm Ang. And this is Girls Gone Bible Where, a faith based podcast where we talk all things spirituality, mental health, the Bible. Guys, we love Jesus so much here and we hope that as you journey along with us, if this is your first time ever watching us, welcome. We always say, come as you are, just don't stay that way. And if you've been a og, ride or die from the very beginning. My gosh, we love you so much. The last time we were on this couch was a little sad.

[Ari]

It was beautiful.

[Christina]

You really touched people that episode.

[Ang]

Thank you.

[Christina]

How you feeling?

[Ang]

You know what can we tell him about when you laughed at me that one time?

[Christina]

Which one?

[Ang]

I know there's one when I was.

[Christina]

Trying to cast demons out.

[Ang]

No, we were on the phone with a bunch of people. We were on the phone with a group of people and I started praying for them and it was actually a group of guys and I like start praying for them and I'm like, lord, like, touch them, touch their minds, touch their hearts, touch their bodies. And Ari just dies laughing. And I'm like, don't embarrass me right now. Like, why are you laughing? And she's like, why would you tell God to touch their bodies?

[Christina]

I don't know why? It was beautiful. It really was. But, you know, and you just.

[Ang]

I felt like a perv.

[Christina]

I was like, you sound like a pedophile.

[Ang]

Yeah, like that was embarrassed me. I'm like, okay, don't touch their bodies. I guess I just meant like, bless them. Like, I don't know, give me peace.

[Christina]

They were laughing too.

[Ang]

It was very funny. Anyways, I pray that God touches your bodies as well and your heart and your minds. I hope he touches mine as well today.

[Christina]

Me too. We figured we would just do a little question session today. I really love these. We do just are going to randomly pick them and just speak from. Let God speak through us. Yeah, I really love being on the couch too, by the way.

[Ang]

I love being on the couch. How are you on the couch? No, just in general. Yeah, I'm good.

[Christina]

Good. I'm doing good too. No, just kidding.

[Ang]

I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I forgot to ask. How are you doing, Ari?

[Christina]

Like we haven't been each up each other's mask.

[Ang]

We've been together for eight days. In a row. Oh, this is what happened this morning. So, Ari, bless her sweet soul, she's not really like a respecter of people's sleep. Like, if she has something to say. We were at our friend Rochelle's the other night, and Rochelle's dead asleep. She had to work in the morning. And then you. Her room, and you're like, what did you say? What did you ask her for?

[Christina]

Talking about if she had a back to an earring.

[Ang]

Yeah, you wake her up to ask her if she has a back to an earring. And she's like, she almost knocked me out. And then this morning. So Ari has a blankie. A lot of you guys know Ari has a blankie. She loves her blankie. Can't live without her blankie.

[Christina]

It's really sick. But I can't sleep without a choice. Of course I wash. No, I was just.

[Ang]

I don't know if it's like, I don't have a blankie on weedings. I don't think we do that. And so I didn't know if it was like a sentimental thing, like, you don't wash it and like, you keep it preserved. I don't know. No, you wash it.

[Christina]

Of course. I mean, can you imagine if I didn't?

[Ang]

Yeah, that would be disgusting. Who's texting us? And then so this morning I stay at Ari's last night, and she couldn't find her blankie last night. She couldn't find it anywhere. I was like, already falling asleep and I was like, like, check the washing machine tomorrow. We'll find it tomorrow. So I guess she has nightmares all night that, like, someone stole her blankie.

[Christina]

I was like, I woke up so early and I was like, it's gone. I was like, I going to go through life without. Without it. I couldn't find it.

[Ang]

And it's like 7am and I've been having trouble sleeping in recently. Like, I've been waking up at 6am every day.

[Christina]

She's like, the wrong person to wake up, by the way.

[Ang]

I am. There's. It's just like, my one thing is, like, I respect people sleep. Anybody else like this. Like, I respect people's sleep so much. Like, I would never disrupt someone when they're sleeping. And I just, like, want people to respect. I hate being woken up. And so I like, turn over. This morning it's maybe 7am and I was still so tired. I was like, oh, thank God I can sleep until like 8. Like, I'm gonna sleep in. And Ari sees that I'm sleeping And then goes, ange.

[Christina]

And.

[Ang]

And I'm like, yes, Ari. And she's like, I don't know where my blankie is. And I'm like, absolutely not. We are not doing this. Not over.

[Christina]

You are so mad.

[Ang]

I was just like, all right, Ari.

[Christina]

I'm trying to sleep.

[Ang]

Ari. I'm sleeping.

[Ari]

And then I had a moment where.

[Christina]

I said, I am in my 30s, and I still have not quite grown up yet. But it says in the Bible, what does it say? That you must feel like a little child to enter the kingdom of God.

[Ang]

And that I am.

[Ari]

So Ang and I were on FaceTime the other night, and we were like, what in the world are we gonna eat for dinner? And somehow the answer is either chips or 40 DoorDash. I just want to say we recently started using Tavola, and it genuine feels like we hacked adulthood. It's basically a smart oven plus fresh meals delivered straight to you. You can scan the meals, little QR code, pop it in, and the oven literally cooks everything for you. It steams, bakes, broils, all automatically. No guessing. No timers? No. Is this still frozen in the middle? The other night, I made the chicken parm with cheesy stuffed shells, and I was like, wait, did I cook this or did a chef sneak into my house? And the best part, no dishes, no cleanup, no emotional snacks. Spiral fipm. It honestly feels like cooking from the future. I'm truly obsessed with Tobola. Their oven saves me at least 45 minutes a night and a mini crash out for a limited time. Because you are a girls gone Bible listener, you can save up to 300 on the Tavola smart oven. When you order meals over six times by heading to Tavola.com GGB and use my code GGB. That's up to 300 off when you head to Devola.com GGB and use promo code GGB one last time. That's T-O-V-A-L-A.com. and make sure you use my promo code GGB for up to 300 off the Tavola Smart oven. Remember, with Tavola, dinner is taken care of.

[Ang]

Listen, I respect your blankie. I wish I had a blankie. Christina, why didn't I have a blankie growing up? You get it when you're born, right?

[Christina]

All I know is, whoever my husband is better know that I wrap that thing around my head and my neck.

[Ang]

I hope he has when I go to bed. Do you guys have blankies?

[Christina]

Well, I hope not. I hope guys don't have blankies? Do you. Do you want your guy to have a blankie? You know what if he does?

[Ari]

He does.

[Ang]

You know what if he does? I'll love him no matter what. All right, all right, let's get into it. The first question is about the Catholic Church, and I like it.

[Christina]

Yeah, let me get it. The Catholic Church is so beautiful. Would you ever go back to it?

[Ang]

I have been wanting to say this for such a long time. Such a long time. I hope that all of our Catholic brothers and sisters, if you guys are a part of GGB or you've watched some episodes, we just want you guys to know that we love you so much and we want you to be here and we want you to be on this journey with us. I love Catholics. My mom is a die hard Catholic and I grew up Catholic, like, actually like going. Doing all the sacraments. I got people, you know, all the confirm, communion, confirmation, everything. I can't say that I know the discrepancies between, you know, Protestant and Catholic Church. I don't know the ins and outs. I don't necessarily know why there's like a divide. I really don't get it. And I could probably do. We're gonna have a priest on eventually. We're getting that into the works right now because we want our Catholic friends here to know that, like, we are one, we are the same. We love you guys so much. And honestly, there' so much about the Catholic Church that I am obsessed with. Obsessed with. I love the reverence, the tradition. I love, like, the quiet stillness in the Catholic Church. I love the kind of pet. I just love the emphasis on holy Communion. I love Catholics and I love Mass and I just. There's so many things that I love about it so much. And I think that's why I love Jesus image so much. Michael Kulianos is like. He comes from, like a grief. I'm so sorry. He from like a Greek Orthodox background. And he's obviously like, you know, a charismatic Christian who just brings so much, like beauty and reverence from Orthodox Catholic backgrounds into our current, like, modern day Christian churches. And I just think that there is so much beauty in it.

[Christina]

Such a great. Yeah. When I encountered Jesus, I found him in the Catholic Church. When I got. When I tell you guys the story about how I. How I found him in that church, it was a little Catholic church. And so I actually go in there very often. That's like my little meeting place with Jesus. And as soon as I walk in, it's like tears just start flowing down my eyes. It's like the most holiest place that I go to.

[Ari]

Totally.

[Ang]

Yeah.

[Christina]

And then I. When I was healing, I was just talking about the story the other day, but I think I've told you guys before, but I had a nun named Sister Ann who took me into her back home of the church, and she would bring me in her home and she would feed me and she would give me coffee and she would sit with me and she would pray with me. And I believe her prayers just completely changed my life. And she was half the reason why I was able to get through my day sometime by her prayers and her love and her comfort. And there's just something so holy about nuns.

[Ang]

I just.

[Christina]

They're so pure. And my Auntie Barbara, who I talk about, I mean, she.

[Ari]

She is just.

[Christina]

Has been a devout Catholic my whole life, and she just has a purity and just a love for Jesus that I've. It's. It's beautiful. And so I love. Just like you, there's so much about the Catholic Church that I love. I love the conservativeness of it. I also love taking communion. Yeah. I think there's so, so much beauty in the Catholic Church. Although I will say, growing up, going to Catholic Mass, I had just. I don't know if I learned as much as I did in the Christian world.

[Ang]

Totally. Yeah. I think. I mean, there's a level of. There's something about Protestant churches, most good Protestant churches that, like, you need. We need to be fed the word amongst everything else. So I think, like, in a perfect world, you can combine tradition and, like, the beauty of that, like, reverent holy environment with like, like, sound, rich theology and, like. Yeah. Encountering the one true living God through scripture, it's. I personally think it's the most important part of church. And worship is so incredibly important. One thing I do love about the cat, one thing I do love about the Catholic Church is, like, the adoration aspect where, like, you sit and you just, like, literally look to the cross and you look to Jesus and you adore Jesus. That's what I do every single day at my house. Like, that's what my quiet time looks like, is a lot of adoration. So, yeah, just so much beauty in it. We want you guys to know, please be here with us. If you're Catholic, we love you. Not even that. It should be like a conversation. Like, do you accept? Like, that's weird. Like, we're one. We're all one if we agree on one thing, and that's the Trinity and Jesus and the cross and the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Like we are legitimately one. And so that's how I feel.

[Christina]

I love that. What are your favorite Christian books?

[Ari]

Okay, so we talk a lot on this show about living with intention and taking care of what God has given us. Yes, spirituality emotionally, but also physically. Scripture literally says our bodies are temples and I feel like sometimes we forget that part. And modern life does not make it easy. Stress, sugar, processed food, everything on the go. It just adds up. So I started adding something really simple to my routine called Dough Dose. It's this tiny 2 ounce liquid shot I take every day and it tastes like fresh squeeze orange juice, which I love. And it's designed to support your liver's daily function. I'm also obsessed with the bottle and your liver basically does everything. Energy, digestion, metabolism, like 500 plus jobs a day. Dose just help support it in a way that feels easy and sustainable. Not any other capsule, not some chalky powder. Just one shot and done. For me, it's honestly become a small act of stewardship, taking care of my body God gave me so I can actually show up. Energy, intention and clarity for the people I love and my calling. 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 Dose Daily Co GGB or entering GGB at checkout. That's D O S E D A I l y.co GGB for 35% off your first month subscription. Okay, does anyone else get that 3pm crash when you're starving but nothing in your kitchen makes sense, like it's either chips or you just end up eating something that's so bad for you. We've been keeping these Paleo Valley beef sticks around lately and they've actually saved us. They're just the easiest grab and go protein snack. Throw one in your bag, keep one in the car, have one after a workout or even between meetings. It's one of those things where you're.

[Christina]

Like, oh, this is what eating like.

[Ari]

A functional adult feels like. And what I love is they're super clean grass fed beef. Simple ingredients, no weird fillers or mystery stuff. They actually taste so good too. Not like those dry gas station meat sticks we grew up with. They're so good. Angie and I love the teriyaki flavor. It's been my little keep my energy steady and don't spiral snack lately. Which honestly we need, especially busy days. You guys want to try it, head to paleovalley.com GGB or use code GGB at checkout for 15 off your. Your first purchase. That's paleovalley.com GGB or use code GGB at checkout.

[Christina]

The ones that I can think, I.

[Ang]

Like out of the wilderness by Ariel Ritzman. Angela Lily.

[Christina]

That's a good one. The ones that I can think about is I love Stephanie Ek's book, the power of your dreams. That book blew my mind. It was one of. I mean, I couldn't stop reading it when I opened it up. Yeah. And another.

[Ang]

Did you make your bed an altar? What I. I want to know.

[Christina]

Listen, I think I'm getting better with the phone.

[Ang]

Let's go.

[Christina]

I think I'm getting better with the phone.

[Ang]

So proud.

[Christina]

I think I'm happy. I'm. I'm telling you because, man, every time I go, I go to do to mindlessly scroll. I feel the grief coming in my heart. That conviction. Yeah, go.

[Ang]

I'm not there yet.

[Christina]

And then another book that I really love that I read when I first started my journey is Rick Warren, the purpose of a driven Life.

[Ang]

Yeah.

[Christina]

So it is. Please, if you guys haven't read that book and you're a new Christian, even if you're not a new Christian, the Purpose of a driven life is an incredible book. I love Rick Warren. I also love Charles Stanley, and I miss him. And I wish he was still alive.

[Ari]

He's like my comfort sermon.

[Christina]

And I've been loving Francis Chan.

[Ang]

I love Francis so much. We're gonna. I hope he'll come on ggb. He's a very, very, very, very pure man, and I just adore him.

[Christina]

Sold everything for the poor. And then, yeah, Louis. Satan.

[Ang]

I love the Bait of Satan by John Bevere. I think some books that I have on my nightstand right now, I have Good Morning, Holy Spirit by Benny Hinn.

[Christina]

How is that book?

[Ang]

It's really good. I really want to read that. It's like encounter book. Like, you will encounter the Holy Spirit when you read that book. Yeah, I think that's a really good, really good read if you want to get to know the Holy Spirit. Birthing the Miraculous by Heidi Baker is also a book. Like, I like books that lead to supernatural encounters. Like, I like books that, you know, the Holy Spirit is leading you directly to Jesus and it's like a supernatural journey that you're on. Birthing the miraculous was one of them. And then I love the Bible. It's, like, so hard for me to read. It's so hard for me to read books because I'm like, I can be reading first Kings and second Kings. Like, it's just like. I don't know. I like when I get in bed at night and I'm like, oh, I'm gonna read my book. I'm like, but the word. Like, I. I just. Yeah, it's. It's, like, hard for me to read books because I just want to read the. But, like, if I'm gonna be able to read something, I want to read the Bible.

[Christina]

How can I overcome the feeling of shame when I fall into sin?

[Ang]

I read something the other day that said, repentance is not crying. Repentance is changing. And so I loved that so much because I think, you know, I honestly, I think you. You overcome the shame of falling by just changing. You know, I just think, like, I believe for anybody, the cure to guilt and shame is just changed behavior because it sets you free. You don' I anytime I've ever been going the wrong way, doing the wrong thing, and I can have so much guilt and shame, like, while I am or in the aftermath, the second I make a genuine change and I say I'm never doing that again, and I actually change, of course, the guilt and the shame automatically falls off of me because that's in the past. That's literally what grace is. It covered me, but it also empowered me to change. And so does that answer make sense? Yeah, I think. Think. And if you have, like, lingering shame, even afterwards, there's no condemnation. For those of us in Christ Jesus, that's something you have to pray about, confess to a friend, let someone in on it, let someone speak truth into it and say, dude, you're not that person. You literally already made the change. You repented. But I think the reason people get stuck in guilt and shame is because there's no true change. I believe the second I make a decision to change, it's gone.

[Christina]

Wow. See, I'm. I. I see. I'm. I'm the opposite. I've. I've be. Well, yes. But then I think about, I've done the same thing over again because I.

[Ari]

Feel like God has.

[Christina]

Really?

[Ari]

Okay, can we talk about the financial hangover after the holidays for a second? Because why did December feel like treat yourself in January feels like, check your bank account and cry. Between gift, travel, food, and everything, it adds up fast. So this year, I'm actually cutting back where it makes sense, and switching phone plans is the easiest win. I can honestly say it's the same service as any carrier. You even get the same phone, same number, same people texting me, but literally way cheaper. Their end of the year sale is still going on and you get 50 off 3, 6 or 12 months of unlimited Premium wireless. So you're cutting out Big Wireless's bloated plans and random charges, but still getting high speed data, unlimited talk and text on nation's largest 5G network. If I had needed this product, it's what I'd use. The quality has honestly been just as good as any other provider and you get to save money. It just makes sense. So if you're doing a little reset this January, add your phone bill to the list. This January, quit overspending on Wireless with 50% off. Unlimited premium wireless plans start at 15amonth at mintmobile.com GGB that's mintmobile.com GGB Limited time offer upfront payment of 45 for 3 months 90 doll for 6 months or $180 for 12 months. Plan required $15 a month taxes and fees Extra initial Plan term only 50gb may slow when network is busy Capable device required Availability, speed and coverage varies. See Mint mobile.com dealt with me in.

[Christina]

Such a process where I come from, such a. I. Yeah, I guess for me I've said I was going to make a change and I. I've done it.

[Ang]

Yeah, me too.

[Christina]

I've fallen.

[Ang]

Yeah, me too.

[Christina]

So I guess I would say I understand because I really can find myself in a lot of condemnation of beating myself up. But I just, I go to Scripture and I have to go back to the character of Jesus and be reminded of what he says. And I think a scripture that I love so much is in Psalm 103 in verse 8. It says that the Lord is compassionate and merciful, and he's slow to get angry and he's filled with unfailing love. And he will not constantly accuse us, nor he will remain angry forever. And he does not punish us for all of our sins. He does not deal harshly with us as we deserve. For his unfeeling love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. Yeah, that means that he doesn't even remember Him. The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear Him. For he knows how weak we are. He remembers that we are only dust. Our days on earth are like grass, like wildflowers we bloom and die, the wind blows and we are gone as though we had never been here. But the love of the Lord remains forever to those who fear him. So I tend to go to Psalm 103 all the time. When I start to feel condemnation in my mind, I have to remind myself of the character of Jesus. Yeah, I even will go back to stories of, you know, the woman caught in adultery. When he says, who are your accusers? I don't accuse you. Go and sin no more. I go back to the story of Peter when Peter denied Jesus three times. And then Jesus is after his resurrection. He comes to Peter and he looks at Peter after he denied him, and he looks at him and he says, do you love me? That's the first question he asked Peter. Not why did you do this? Not pointing fingers, fingers and condemning him. He looks at Peter and says, do you love me?

[Ari]

Peter says, of course I do.

[Christina]

Lord, how could you even ask me that? And he said, then go tend to my sheep. I mean, that's. That's the character of Jesus. Yeah, he. He's the God that. That says, father, forgive him after he was beaten and whipped and says, father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing. So that's who Jesus is. And so we have to constantly not saying that you're never going to feel condemned. But then we go back back to who he is and the Scriptures, we saturate ourselves in them. And then we say, oh, yeah, I don't want to just be led by my feelings of condemnation. I have to be led on his promise. And he's good and he's merciful and he's slow to get angry and he's quick to forgive. He's a loving father.

[Ang]

It's so good. It's so good and it's so true. This is whenever I'm having any sort of condemnation. This is my favorite psalm. I think we've read it before, but I'm going to read it again because this is the best. Psalm 51. David writes Psalm 51. And David, my, it's so, like, crazy to me. David writes Psalm 51.

[Ari]

Okay, this episode is brought to you by no CD. Have you guys ever had a really stressful, unwanted thought pop up during worship? Maybe it made you feel like you needed to start your prayer over because it wasn't right great or perfect, filled you with shame or cause crushing guilt because it felt like it offended God. A lot of people have thoughts like these, including me and Ange. And trust us, we know how scary and isolating they can be to struggle with. They can even lead to compulsive behavior, like constantly asking for reassurance, punishing yourself or having bad thoughts, or worrying about participating in religious practices like praying incorrectly. But here's what changed for us. Learning that these thoughts aren't character flaws or signs of weak faith. They might be symptoms of religious ocd, also known as scrupulosity. OCD is really misunderstood, so a lot of people are surprised to learn that it can focus on religion. But it's true. OCD can latch onto anything you deeply care about, including your faith. And when it does, it can be devastating. But there's hope, because with the right kind of therapy, OCD is highly treatable. That's where no CD comes in. With no cd, you can do a virtual therapy designed specifically for ocd. There are licensed therapists that deeply understand OCD as well as your faith and how important it is in your life. They'll help you work through these thoughts using Exposure and Response Prevention, or erp, a type of specialized therapy that's the most proven treatment for ocd. NOCD also accepts major insurance plans including United Healthcare, Aetna, Cigna and more, and provides always on support between your therapy sessions. If any of these sound familiar, you're not alone. NOCD can help. Visit nocd.com to schedule a free 15 minute call and learn more. That's no c d.com to learn more and book a free call.

[Ang]

And after he falls and sleeps with Beth Sheba. You guys know the story of David and Bathsheba. And I love when I read this psalm that, like, this is in the peak, the height of David's greatest mistake of his life. The greatest shame, the greatest moment where he's like, I have failed myself. I failed God. And again, like, along with what Ari's saying, like, understanding the nature and the character of Jesus and how genuinely forgiving and merciful he is that he's never angry. This is something I have to remind myself of every day. I want you to know, as I say it to you, I'm needed to be reminded of this as well. Because I can see Jesus's face at times as like a disappointed dad, a critical dad, a dad who only wants to point out my flaws and that's not who he is. Like, it is a daily rewiring for me of being like, that's not how he looks at me. He's not mad, he's not disappointed. He's legitimately waiting for me to change, to repent, to give myself back to him. I think it's important too for people to remember that God doesn't want you to sit in your sin and shame like, that's never his. I feel like sometimes we can get stuck because we make a mistake, we fall, we go back to an old habit. We do some, we have an old thought, we succumb to pressure, temptation. And then we're like, God must, like, want me to sit in this. And like, God's legitimately trying to pull you out of it, being like, I don't care what you just said did come to me. Just come to me, be with me. I don't want you to say, I think we have the ability as people to punish ourselves when God is never trying to punish us. He I think sometimes even maybe guilt and shame can feel like the right thing to do for ourselves because we think that that's necessary. God doesn't want that for us. Even if you sinned, it's not a. It's not like a noble thing to then feel so guilty about it. God's like, stop feeling guilty. That's not what I'm calling you to. And Psalm 51, I love this so much. Every time that I am experiencing, like, severe shame and guilt over something, going to Psalm 51, praying this out loud and genuinely letting God release me from whatever it is. This is how you don't have thoughts of guilt and shame. You genuinely repent. So I'm going to read it to you. You guys. Have mercy on me, oh God, according to your unfailing love, according to your great compassion, blot out my transgressions, wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. This is like, legitimately, this is a supernatural act that takes place when you pray this psalm. For I know my transgressions, which means sin. And my sin is always before me. Against you. You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sin sight. So you are right in your verdict, and you're justified when you judge. Luckily, Jesus took the punishment for us already. Surely I was sinful at birth. Sinful, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb. You taught me wisdom even in that secret place. And then he prays, cleanse me with hyssop, which is like soap, and I shall be cleansed. Clean, wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness. Let the bones you have crushed rejoice. This is the.

[Angie]

That's why.

[Ang]

This is the Repentance is the antidote to shame. When you repent and you face your Sin and you face what you've done and you repent and you change. Joy comes like that. Repentance is not a bad thing. It's not a scary thing. Repentance leads to joy. Let the bones you have crushed rejection rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Created me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your holy spirit from me. This part always makes me cry. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me. Then I will teach other sinners your ways so that sinners will turn back to you. So not only do you repent and you're restored to Jesus, you then go use your are sin and shame, and you bring other people back to Jesus. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, oh God, you who are God, my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise. I love this part so much. You do? You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it. You don't take. You do not take pleasure in burn offerings. Meaning God doesn't need you to do all this stuff to make you right with him, whatever it is you think that he needs from you for him to restore your relationship. It says my sacrifice. And another translation says, the sacrifice you want. Oh, God is a broken spirit. He just wants your broken heart, the one that's broken and grieved over your sin. He just wants that. He. He essentially wants your heart to be broken over it. And then he wants you to bring your broken heart to him, a broken and contrite heart, you, oh God, will not despise. So anyone who thinks that because you're in. In all this shame because of what you've done and where you've been, that God doesn't want a heart like that. It's too broken, it's too divided, it's too messy. That's literally what David is saying. That's what you want. You want my broken heart. One of my favorite psalms ever. And it's like, it's my. Go to Psalm 51, write it down. Never forget it. Every time that shame and guilt, every time you need a cleansing and you need your relationship and your connection to Jesus to be restored, go read Psalm 51, pray it over yourself. And believe that when you say, cleanse me with heaven, Hisop. Cleanse me and I will be whiter than snow, that that's legitimately what's taking place in the spirit.

[Christina]

And I think that scripture is such a good description of what repentance looks like. Can you imagine David saying that? He's like, have mercy on me. Clean my heart. Like, as you were reading that, I'm picturing David the way he was crying out and that repentance and that. Just have mercy on my soul. Because I think so many people think that, that they can just do something. They'll be like, I can just repent.

[Ari]

And get over it.

[Christina]

I think John Bevere was talking about that yesterday. So I love that. Yeah, I love that.

[Ang]

I love you.

[Christina]

Love you. What would you tell your younger self, Ang?

[Ang]

What would I tell my younger self other than follow Jesus? Something I would tell my younger self is.

[Ari]

Okay, guys, can I tell you.

[Christina]

Something random but real?

[Ari]

The tiniest thing that instantly makes me feel more put together is pretty nails.

[Christina]

Can you guys agree?

[Ari]

Like, I could put on sweats, hair a mess, driving around, semi chaotic, but if my nails are done, I feel like I have my life put together. I. I used to think salon nails were the only way to get that feeling. And honestly, who has the time or money for that? Every two weeks, Olive and June fully changed that for me. I literally do mine at home sometimes now, usually on the couch while watching a sermon or before bed during my quiet time. Their mani system comes with everything. So long grade, tools, six polishes. You pick, and the polish lasts like seven days or more without chipping. It breaks down to basically $2amanicure, which is crazy. And right now they're doing this really cute DIY mani challenge the Year my nails turned pretty, which is basically just learning to do your own nails your way, at your pace. It's actually a step by step and not intimidating at all. I am literally obsessed with the gel polish color. The queen takes her tea with milk. It just gives that classy, clean look. No appointments, no rushing, just you. Olive and June has taught millions how to mani. Now it's your turn. Visit oliveandjune.com GGB for 20 off. You can your first system. That's O L I V A N D j u n e.com ggb for 20% off your first system.

[Ang]

I think not only that I would tell my younger self, but something that I wished I started. Maybe working on with Jesus earlier is like restoring my relationship with the father.

[Christina]

Mm.

[Ang]

Because I've realized and I've known this for a long time, but I think as of recently, it's become increasingly more evident that like throughout my life and I know all girls with maybe not the strongest relationships with their dads or, like, girls who didn't have that father's voice, who, like, encouraged them or spoke life into them. Like, it's just genuinely, I'm realizing, like, one of the most important things for men and women, but, like, for girls, it shapes the way that you go about your life forever. It shapes the way that you involve yourself with men in relationships. And I think I've kind of talked about this before, but it's been on my mind a lot recently where, like, my relationship to my dad is so broken, which has maybe made things complicated with my relationship to my heavenly father a lot. And it's because I see, I hear my, like, earthly father either absent or highly critical, not encouraging like that. Like, angry or disappointed. Nothing is ever good enough. I project that onto God and I. And I feel that he feels that way about me and that he's never. Nothing is ever good enough. And. And then, unfortunately, I find myself in relationships where it's like the same exact dynamic. And I think not having a father's voice and always looking to a man, and so many of us go through this, but, like, giving so much authority to a man's voice in your life. And unfortunately, people are broken. And giving anybody that much authority over yourself and your identity and your life can cause you to end up in, like, a really broken spot. And I think I've been looking for a father's voice for so long, and that's why I meet, like, pastors and leaders, and there's like, this undercurrent of, like, please validate me. Like, like, like, especially pastors and leaders. I'm like, if. If this pastor that I respect so much validates me, like, I can know that I should be here and I'm. And I can be confident. And so, like, looking to a man's voice to speak identity into me. I mean, and like, not only is that bad, because they will never be able to validate you enough. They'll never be like, no matter what anyone says. But. And then on the other side, too, it's. Is that, like, imagine if that person's voice is incredibly critical and condemning and doesn't build you up and you've given so much authority to their voice. That's something that I'm walking through actively right now. And I'm like, you know, doing a lot of work in that, where I'm just like, I have got to figure this area of my life out. So that's. That's a journey that I wish I took a long time ago, but. But here we are. I'm so.

[Christina]

That's beautiful.

[Ang]

Thanks.

[Christina]

I related to that.

[Ang]

At least I had my mom hyping me up. Nobody hypes me up more, more than anybody than my mom does. What about you? What would you tell your younger self?

[Christina]

Well, I just think I. I wish I. I wish I. I don't wish because I'm. I love how it all panned out because I can relate to people. But my life would have just been so much easier if Word of God, because you know when you don't have the word, you are constantly just feeling unsafe and you go to all these things and you make so many idols out of things. And I just. I see girls in their 20s and I'm like, man, I just. I feel like my 20s just went by like that because I spent all those years just clinging to men and stressing out. I was so scared where my life was going to end up. I wanted things to work out in a certain way so bad that I was so consumed all day and riddled with anxiety and I never felt safe. And when I look back at my 20s, I'm like, that's. That's tough.

[Ang]

Yeah.

[Christina]

Because I was so stressed. So I would. I would just say that everything is going to work out, that you're so loved. And I. I wouldn't have spent all my years, years just making such idols out of men and clinging to them and making my life about them. And I would just say, no one will ever fulfill you. Only Jesus can.

[Ang]

Yeah.

[Christina]

Especially in your 20s, you're so stressed out on what's going to happen and is this going to work out. And I can't believe the way my life all worked out. And it wasn't the way I thought it would. Would, but it was the best plan that God had for me. And that's why I stand on the scripture and I go back to it often, even in my season now of aren't my ways higher than your ways and my plans way bigger than your plans? And so I stand on that. And I think many of us are so scared on if, what if this doesn't work out, or what if my husband doesn't come or what if this career path doesn't work out? And I just wish I could have said it's all going to work out in a way that will absolutely blow your mind. So I would just tell you to keep your eyes on the cross. Seek Jesus with all your heart and you will find him. And in that his plan will prevail in your life. He's true safety, like, you don't need to cling to anything else but him. And then once you really find him in your identity and him, God will bring you all that other stuff. So just focus on him. Whoa, what scripture? Can I speak over myself to stop the doubtful thoughts in my head? I have a couple. Do you have some? I just have my.

[Ang]

I have my background on my phone. It's Romans 15:13. It's, May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. I read this over myself ten times a day and I read it like this. May the God of hope fill me with all, all joy and peace as I trust in him so that I may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15.

[Christina]

One of the best when I was a new believer. Isaiah 40, 41. And I'll still speak it over myself, like literally verse 10. So do not fear, for I am with you. And I'll speak it like this. I do not need to fear because you are with me, Lord. I do not need to be dismayed, made, because you are my God. You will strengthen me and you will help me, and you will uphold me with your righteous right hand. You need to repetitively say that over yourself every time those thoughts come in your mind. Have I not commanded you in Joshua 1, verse 9, be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. And then 2 Timothy 1, verse 7 says, For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind.

[Ang]

Guys, we love you so much. Thank you for being here with us. Thank you for loving Jesus. We just want to remind you, get in the Word, spend time with Jesus. Pray. Talk to him all day. Please read the Bible. Read the Bible. Bible. One chapter a day, two chapters a day, then push it and do three chapters a day. Study different books in the Bible. Get really deep. Read the Old Testament, Go on a journey from Genesis to Revelation and like, go on a beautiful journey throughout the Bible where you learn about the true character and nature of God and let him completely change your life. We love Jesus so much. Like I love him so much. Ari loves him so much.

[Christina]

And stay in community and create Bible studies. Get together with your friends and study His Word together and pray for each other.

[Ang]

Yeah. 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.