← In Totality with Megan Ashley
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Megan Ashley
Hey there, In Totality fam. We need your help. We're running a quick audience survey and we love to hear from you. Head over to Gum FM Totality. It's super simple and we want to keep bringing you content that you love. Let's be real, guys. You know it, we know it. There are ads on our podcast and we want to make the experience better for you. We need to learn a little more about who's tuning in. By filling out this short survey, you'll be helping us improve the show. It's quick, easy, free, and it'll take you just two minutes. Your feedback makes a huge difference to us. So head over to Gum FM Totality. That's G U M F M T O T A L I T Y. And let your voice be heard. Thanks for being such an amazing part of our community. Let's get back to the show with the $5 meal deal at McDonald's. You pick a McDouble, or a McChicken, then get a small fry, a small drink, and a four piece McNuggets. That's a lot of McDonald's for not a lot of money. Price of participation may vary. For a limited time only. The Lord has called us to serve. The Lord himself said that I did not come to be served, but to serve. So when you think about it, if the perfect and holy Savior Jesus Christ came specifically to serve and we are supposed to be like him, fall under that humble submission and serve. Fall under that humble example and do as he did. Go be the light in some dark areas. Hey, you guys. Welcome to In Totality, a place where we celebrate authenticity and openness. We're here for those who are willing to explore, those who embrace imperfections, and for those with open hearts and minds. I'm excited to embark on this journey with you. And while I can't predict every twist and turn, I'm certain that God will be by our side with every step of obedience. Welcome to In Totality with me, your host, Megan Ashley. What's up, you guys? Welcome back to another episode of In Totality. I'm your host, Megan Ashley, and today I am really excited to talk about something really that I feel like the Lord has just kind of been mixing and stirring in me. But before we do that, do me a favor and click subscribe right now. Yeah, go right now. Do it right now. Okay, click subscribe. Make sure you like this. Send it to a friend. Send it to a home girl. Send it to a homeboy. Send it to your mom, your cousin, your uncles, whoever. Send this to somebody. Spread it around. Also, I have an amazing Patreon community that I would love for you to be a part of. We are. Yeah, we really are a community. Like, we love the Lord, we love his Word, and we love fellowshiping with one another. So in Patreon, you are getting Bible studies, book clubs, you're getting exclusive contents from the guests that you see on the podcast. You're also getting my docu series, which is like a personal vlog. I really do believe that, you know, the Lord has allowed me to share my story in totality. And when I mean in totality, I really mean it. So you get to see the behind the scenes of all the things that are kind of going on in my life. Not that I think that my life is interesting, but I do believe that it's important to share that the Gospel isn't just something that you say, but, like, in the Book of Acts, it's something that you live. And so. So, yeah, the docu series is amazing, and it's really fun to just kind of capture these memories and capture these moments and show you how to live for Christ. Unabashedly uncompromised as best as I can. I'm not perfect by any means, but I'm just open and vulnerable and transparent to show you guys kind of how I live my life. So the docu series does all of that. We are actually currently in season three, which is crazy, and we were two to three episodes into season three. And I'm really excited for you guys to see all the things, because we're leading up to Acts 242 conference, which is literally in a month. And when I tell y'all, Jesus, like, I. I was literally praying this morning and just spending some time with the Lord, and I was just like, lord, I don't even know what to ask, because I'm not trying to, like, claim fear, but the reality is, is, like, there's something that is, you know, there. Yeah, there's fear and not fear in, like, the way that God hasn't given us fear, but, like, fear of the Lord because it's. It's heavy, it's weighty. And the Lord reminded me, like, yeah, and that's not a weight that you can carry. And if you try to carry it, it will crush you. And that's why we have to give it to the Lord. Right? And so I'm really excited, but it does feel very weighty. It feels very important. It feels very timely. Acts 2:42. I. I believe by the Spirit that it is going to be life changing. Many people, for the people involved and for the people who are participating and just coming, I just believe that it's going to be life changing. There's so many people who, I just, I just want to, you know, give kudos and like virtual claps to people who are like, yo, it's my birthday and I was going on a trip, but I'm not going on the trip because I believe God is calling me to go to Acts 242. Or it's homecoming weekend and I'm not going because I believe God is calling me to go to Acts 242. Or I was planning on going to this concert, but I'm not because God is calling me to Acts 242. Like, I just want to just like, yeah, like, that's dope. And I'm so excited for what God is going to do for everyone's life, mine included. Like, I'm, I have intense anticipation even for my own life. And so I'm just really excited to see what God is going to do for Acts 242. It's just going to be an amazing time. I'm super, I'm super humbled by the whole thing. I really am. Like, I'm just, I'm humbled by the entire experience. So, so, yeah, join Patreon. You can see all that. And speaking of Acts 242, if you haven't gotten your tickets, go get your tickets. We, I, I literally, I looked at the numbers today. I actually don't know if there are gonna be any tickets left by the time this podcast comes out. I'm not gonna hold you guys. Like, it was like maybe a few left. So I hope that you're able to get your tickets. Yeah, I'm praying that you can get in. I, I just know that, like, God is going to do some crazy stuff. So make sure you go get your tickets. If you haven't, there are a lot of people that are going by themselves. So, like, don't worry. You will meet someone there. You will, you will meet a friend or someone. Like, you will meet people at Acts 242. So don't, don't be like, scared if you're like, oh, I'm going by myself. You're gonna meet somebody. Don't worry. So, yeah, if you haven't gotten your tickets, I pray that this was that final nudge to get you to get your tickets. It's going to be amazing. Jackie Hill Perry and I are hosting it. Dr. Sarita Lyons, Dr. Eric Mason. Preston Perry. Philip Anthony Mitchell. It's going to be a time we are going to have a ball, all the things. So. Yeah, what else? What else is going on? Yeah. Acts 242 join Patreon. I'm trying to, like, run through the list of stuff in my head so I don't forget. Yeah, that's. That's it. Oh, I do have something that I want to share with you guys. I finalized the designs for In Totality Merch, and Merch will be coming next month. I'm so excited. I am only going to exclusively be selling it at the X242 conference, and then I will put it online for everyone else to purchase it. So if you are going to ask 242 and you've been asking for merch in Totality Merch, you will be getting In Totality Merch. I'm really excited because I. I've been like, people have been asking for this. Like, if you've been listening In Totality for a while, that a lot of people are like, when's the merch? When's the merch? Especially my village community on page on Patreon, they're like, when's the merch? When's the merch? And again, like, I didn't. I did not. I didn't go into this podcast looking to, like, monetize in all the ways. And I don't think there's anything wrong with it, but I really wanted to be led by God. I wanted to be led by the Spirit, and I didn't want to just do stuff to do it. Like, everything that I do, I want to glorify the Lord, and I want to make sure that I'm doing it with pure motives, with the right heart, posture, all the things. And so through community, which is important. So why do you feel like Acts is necessary? Like, what makes this conference different? I think when we look at the country of America and then when we look at the state of Atlanta in particular, I think you see a few things. I think you see low biblical literacy. I think you see a form of godliness. I think you see hypocrisy. I think you see prosperity teaching, and I think we have a lot of people who are picking at and exposing and criticizing and critiquing, but not also fixing the problem. Yeah. So to me, it just seems necessary to not just talk about it, but actually do something. Yeah. I feel like there's a hunger to know the Lord. Right. And I feel like to present a conference for Them to really meet the Lord right where it looks just like the Lord's original intent for his church, where it's equipping the saints with the teaching of the word, right? Not the teaching of an opinion, not the teaching of a motivational speech or, you know, I think that like Christ centered, like a fully Christ centered conference where it's getting back to the basics. My community, you know, really encouraged me to just, you know, take a leap of faith and like, yeah, start the merch line. Like, you can do it. The time is, the time is good. Like you can do this and it's a good time to do it. And, and so, yeah, my community encouraged me and, and, and confirmed that like, yeah, this is something that you can glorify the Lord into. And so do it. And so, yeah, the, the, the pieces are, are, you know, we're working it out and getting it done. And so if you're going to be at the AX242 conference, you are in for a treat because I will have merch. There won't be as many people that are in the seats. There won't be merch pieces for. But I, my plan is that you will be able to purchase it or even pre order it if we're out of certain stuff. So make sure you, yeah, gather your coins for that as well. But yeah, today. Speaking of humility, I just wanted to talk to you guys, guys just a little bit about like what, like I said, what the Lord has been like, stirring and mixing in me recently. And it's been this like, probably for about like two weeks now. God has just been like really impressing on me this idea of humility and like what, what that really looks like and how it's really the thing that leads to all things God. Like, it is like the first posture that you have to have to even, I don't know, to even like acknowledge him. You know what I mean? Like, even think about being a Christian, like being saved, like confessing the Lord as your personal savior, right? Like, to accept the gospel, there has to be a moment of humility. There has to be like a humbling to know that you need a savior, right, like that to even think that way. There's a, there's a humility that happens. And so it's like the key to everything for me right now. And I just have been, you know, just taking inventory of my own heart. And I feel like when I take inventory of like my prayers for the Lord recently, everything kind of leads back to humility. Like I've had to address a lot of pride and arrogance within myself in ways that were so hidden. You know what I mean? Like, the enemy is really. You know, sin is really sneaky, and so is the enemy. And so, like, you. Will you, like, really having a relationship with the Lord and, like, having that Psalms type of prayer where it's like, search my heart and try my ways, like, having a steady, consistent practice of that type of prayer, The Lord really will show you areas where it's like, lord, if there's any hidden sin in my heart, if there's any. Anything in my heart that is not like you, even in the secret places, like, reveal those to me. Like, he really will do that. And so I just have been finding, like, little areas where the Lord is like, I need you to pay attention to that. What's the root of that? And I'm like, oh, wow, pride. You're prideful. You're arrogant. Even. Even like this, like, the false humility. It's pride. Like, so God has just been really, like, impressing on me to be mindful of, you know, where pride can creep in and how it can manifest itself in my life. And so it was interesting because this weekend we were in, this past weekend, I was in Houston, and I had to do a panel, or I didn't have to do, but I had the honor of doing a panel at Jerry Flowers Church for their women be whole conference. And him and his lovely wife Tanisha, they are amazing, and I love them and their family. And. And we were on. All on a panel, and it was in Houston. And so before we went, my. I was talking to my dad, and he was like, oh, you know, your sister's in Houston. And so I have. I have, just for you guys who don't know, just a little backstory. I have four sisters. They are all my dad's children, not my mom's. I'm my mom's only child. So my dad has me. I have a sister that is right under me. Her name is Brittany. I have a sister named Madison, Mackenzie and Michaela. Those are my sisters, and we did not grow up close to each other. You know, probably the closest people I was to, the closest sisters I were to were my two youngest sisters, Mackenzie and Michaela. And that's because my dad was actually married to their mom. And so I spent a lot of time with them. And anyway, just a little backstory. I posted this on my Instagram, and. But I just want to share it with you guys that, you know, the Mackenzie lived with me for a little bit when she was 16, and then she lived with me again after she decided not to go back to college when she turned 19. And so anyway, she lived with me, and so I kind of took her in. You know, she's like my little sister or, like, I treated her like a daughter or little sister, and. And so she lived with me, and we had a huge fight just because she's a teenager. And I was going through my own life stuff and, you know, in my 20s, and we had a huge fight about. And when I thought about it, I was like, what was this fight really about? And I don't think it was about anything. Like, it was just, like, a respect thing. It was like, you know, she didn't want to respect, like, my rules or something like that. Typical teenager stuff. And I felt like she was disrespectful and, like, her. And I got into, like, this really big fight, and. And I never, you know, I just never talked to her again. And this was like, seven, eight years ago maybe. I don't even know how long ago it was. It was a long time ago. I want to say about seven years. But, like, we. We just stopped talking. Life just kept moving on. You know what I mean? Like, before you know, it. Oh, wow. It's been. It's been seven years. And so I. It wasn't even a thing where I was, like, meditating on the offense. It just wasn't a thing where I was mindful that I hadn't fixed it yet. Like, I. I just. I wasn't, like, thinking on it and, like, oh, holding this thing against her, but I was holding on to this thing against her in my heart, but it wasn't something I was like, you know, meditating on. Just. Life just kept moving on. And so when my d. And I was talking to my dad the other day, and he's like, you know, you should really. You know, you should hit your sister up. And. And, you know, I think it's time that you guys, like, reconnect. Da, da, da, da, da. And, like, he's asked me to do that before. And before I was just like. Like, I'm straight. Like, I'm good. Like, I have a lot going on. Like, I'm good. You know, if it. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't. But this time, I. I initially had a, like, feeling, like. Like, okay, like, because it felt like work, and I didn't. I don't feel like doing extra stuff, so it felt like work. But then again, because God is kind and he's, you know, he's merciful and like, he doesn't want us to have sin and he doesn't want us to have unforgiveness. And like he. He wants us to be like cleansed and pure. And so he. So when my dad asked me, I initially was like. But then I had like. I felt like the Lord was like, what? Why? Like what, what is that? I need you to like address that, take inventory of what that feeling is. And I was just like, I don't know, like why, you know, I couldn't even remember what the, or what the argument was specifically about. Like, like what was the thing that made me so upset and, and I was trying to think about it and think about it and the Lord was just like, if you can't even find the reason, then like, it doesn't even matter. At the end of the day, if you have an opportunity to go to see your sister and you have the opportunity to look her in the eye and apologize because you are wrong for holding this offense to her. Because you've had opportunities to reconcile and you've had opportunities to forgive and you haven't. So you need to like address that and you need to repent. This episode of In Totality is brought to you by Ford. Why is being open to new roads and possibilities essential to success? Success when chasing your goals. 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Not just like a friend or somebody in the body of Christ, but even like our family members. If there is an awe, if there is an issue, you are supposed to do all that you can as best it is upon you. I don't, I don't know what scripture that is. It's somewhere in there what it's like, but it's as, as best as you can, as much as it's on you to do, fix it. And so the Lord was reminding me of that word. He was like, yeah, but you, but you know better. You know my word. You know my word. So call your. So like text your sister, tell her to come to the event. Well, first he was like, you need to repent, right? So that was, that was step one, repent. Because you've held something against your sister. You haven't forgiven her. You've, you've hold, you've been holding on to an offense and you know better and you know that's not my way. So repent. So like that was the first step, okay, I needed to repent because that's an, that's an offense towards him. Like I, I was, I was, I sinned against the Lord by, by holding on and harboring bitterness and unforgiveness towards my sister. So I had to repent, number one. Number two, text your sister. Invite her to or not the show. I'm sorry, but the conference. Invite her to the conference. You're going to look her in the eye. You're going to tell her you love her and you're going to tell her sorry. And it doesn't even matter what the thing is, because she was 19 and you're 34 now. Like if it felt like, I mean in the most loving way, but I felt like the Lord was like, grow up, grow up. You don't get to hold that against her. Right and so as I processed it more and more and more, I realized that the offense I was holding towards my sister wasn't an offense I was holding towards her as much as it was an offense I was holding towards my dad. And I felt like it was his responsibility to make sure that me and all of my sisters have a relationship. And if we didn't have a relationship, well, it ain't on me. That's on you. You're the one that had me. Had my other sister with another woman and my other sister with another woman, and then the other last two with another. Like, that's on you. That's not on me. You gotta fix that. Like, I was like. I realized that, like, I was holding this not just against my sister, but I was holding this against my dad, too. And I was. And I was prideful and thinking, like, oh, well, it's not my responsibility to fix it. And then the Lord. Like, the Lord was like, Megan, you're 34. When you were a child, you thought it, like, was that scripture? When I was a child, I thought I was a child. But now that I'm not a. Like, now that I'm adult, I put childish things away. Like, when I was a child. That. That's okay. That's reasonable to think that way. That's reasonable to be like, I want my father to fix this. I want the parents to fix this. But now I'm 34. I have to be an adult. My sister is 20. Something. Like, she's 20. I don't even know how old she is. She's in her mid-20s. You know what I mean? So it's like, at this point, we can be adults. We. We can. We can take responsibility or for our own selves, for our own lives, for our own relationships, for our own reconciliation. Like, we can do that ourselves. And so, yeah, I just felt like. I text my sister, I told her to come to the conference. She came and she. I just saw her face and she was just. Ugh. I could cry thinking about it. Like, she just looks so beautiful. And I was just like, man, like, look at. Look at how many years I've missed out on looking at this beautiful face. And I just hugged her and she cried, and I just told her I loved her. And I looked her in the eye and I was like, I'm sorry. Like, I should have never held this offense towards you this long. And she looked at me and she was like, I'm sorry. Like, I was out of pocket. And, you know, and like, we both just were able to reconcile. And I just thought it was just beautiful. It was beautiful. It was a beautiful moment. And it was a moment where I felt like my heart was, like, healed. All right, guys, before we continue with this episode, I want you to meet my new friend, Byoma, the first symbiotic of its kind. A revolutionary blend of prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics, all combined in a single capsule to help you feel your best. Byoma isn't just another supplement. It's a scientifically backed formula designed to support digestion, boost energy, and even enhance skin health. Plus, with the powerful ingredients Tributerin and a smart delayed release capsule, Byoma goes straight to where it matters the most. Your gut. Sound familiar? Bloating, low energy, cravings you can't shake? These daily struggles are real and you're definitely not alone. Byoma has helped thousands of people, and especially popular among menopausal women, for everything from hot flashes, mood swings, brain fog, weight management. 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And so, yeah, I just thought it was like, it was just such a beautiful moment that I got to see her and tell her that I love her and tell her that I was sorry and that like, you know, that I would be better and like, I made that commitment to her. Like, you know, the past is in the past and like, you know, I'm going to do my part in making sure that we have a relationship because it would be hypocritical of me. I. I stand on this podcast week after week after week and I've talked about, I've talked about forgiveness so much. I've talked about it so much because it is so important. And it's important because, especially for me, because I know what I've been forgiven from that day on the porch where the Lord radically snatched me up and rescued me and told me it wasn't too late for me and that he still loved me in spite of all the ways that where I was an enemy towards him. Do you know what I mean? Like thinking about how he has forgiven me when he didn't have to and continues to forgive me over and over, every single day of my life. He has been pouring out his forgiveness on me every day. And when you think about that, when you think about God and how he is God, he is holy. Righteous the great. I am supremely good, supremely great, supremely wonderful. Like that God who sent his son to live a sinless life on this earth, who was innocent, blameless, spotless, that. That God forgave me. Who is not spotless, who is not. Who is not, you know, clean, who wasn't clean, who wasn't good, who has done great sins. You know what I mean? Like, he forgave me. And so, yeah, like, it would be hypocritical and for. And, And I. And I get it because I. I've been guilty of this too, thinking that, like, oh, yeah, like, yeah, forgive. But there are certain things that are unforgivable, but the Lord doesn't think about that, about you. He doesn't think that way about me. Like, there's only one thing that. That is unforgivable, and that's blasphemy of the. Of the Holy Spirit, and that's for God to determine what that is. Right. But, like, all. All your other sins, like, he has forgiven that. And so, yeah, we have to forgive. And. And I just think that. That humility, like, it was another way of God impressing on me. Yeah, that takes humility, Megan. It takes humility for you to tell your sister I'm sorry after all these years I've held this offense towards you and I shouldn't have. I was wrong. That takes humility. It takes humility to really be a Christian. You're always having an invitation to be humble. When plans don't go your way, it's an opportunity. Like, it's a humbling experience because you realize that you're not in control of time. You're not in control of every single circumstance. Only God is it. That's just. It is what it is. If something didn't work out your way, it's humbling because you realize that you're not in the. You're not the one in control. Only he is. When something doesn't come in the timing that you want it to come in, it's. It's a humbling opportunity because it. It reminds you that you're not in control of time because you didn't create it. I'm not in control of how that person treats me because I didn't create them. It's humbling. And so, yeah, I just feel like, yeah, I've just been. I've just been in this phase of, like, really understanding what a life of humility really looks like. And there's a few scriptures that I wanted to share with you guys. There's one in. I think this is in James. Let me see if I can find it. As I was looking at it the other day, I don't know if I have it highlighted in there, but basically it says, you know, God resists the proud, but he exalts the humble. And like, when I, When I was looking up exalt, I was like, okay, I wonder what that means. Like, because you know how there. There's words and there's different definitions for the words. I was just like, what does. Like, what are the definitions of exalt? And so, like, the first couple ex. Examples of it are. Let me look it up so I can. So I can tell you. Walk you guys through what I was looking at. So one of them is hold someone in very high regard, speak highly of them. The other one is raise to a higher rank position of power. And I was thinking, I was like, you know, I think that we want to be humbled in the, in the way where the deaf or we want to be humbled so we can be exalted in the way that those two definitions say, right? So, like, we want. We were like, okay, God resists the proud, but he exalts the humble. So then we see that. And the trick can be that you see that and you see the word exalt. So then you, you cultivate a false humility because you want to be exalted. So you cultivate this false, like, oh, I'm just gonna humble myself. But then in your heart, though, you're. You have a heart of being. Of expecting to be exalted because you want power, because you want this. And so but when I looked at the, the next definition, the last one, it said make in. Make noble in character to dignify. And I was like, wow, what if the Lord is saying, like, what if that was our. Our heart posture? What if we were. We were pursuing humility because the Lord commands us to, but so that he can create noble character in us? What if, like, what if that's all he does when he exalts you? It's not the, the high ranking in. In position as far as maybe in social media or in, you know, whatever. Maybe you don't have a platform. Maybe you don't have a million followers. Maybe in the humbling of your Christian walk, what if all it is is that he produces noble character in you? What if it was that? What if it was just that? And so my prayer has been recently, like, lord, create in me a clean heart, right? Renew a right spirit in me. Give me A heart that is humbled, expecting nothing. But for you to produce good works in me, for you to produce a noble character in me, so that when you see me, God, you see your son. That's it. I'm not looking to be exalted or lit, like, whatever. I literally just want to. When God looks at me, I want him to see his son through and through. I don't want. I don't want to cultivate a false humility, but I really want to be pure in my heart, pure in my motives, pure in my. In my speech, pure in my. In all of my actions. Like, I want that. And it starts with being humble. It starts with con. Like constantly reminding yourself that God is God and you are not, Period. He is the Lord high. He is the one. Like, high and lifted up, magnified. He is the one who created the heavens and the earth with his words. He is God from the beginning to the end. He's God and you're not. And that idea, if you would meditate on that and if you would focus on that, it will bring you to a place of humility, a life of humility. Not false humility, right? And not humility where you're like self deprecating, like, not that either, but that you know that every good and perfect thing comes from Him. It doesn't come from you. It's not on your own works. But it is God who is high and lifted up. It's. It's him who deserves all praise, all glory, all honor. It is Him. And so just practically speaking, as I was kind of looking through and just thinking through ways that, you know, could help you help us, because I'm going to say us, because obviously I'm still. God's still working humility in me, but just ways that we can cultivate humility, right? So one is practicing gratitude, like be in a practice of being grateful for all that God has done. I believe in first Thessalonians. Let me see if I can flip to it really quick. First Thessalonians 5, 18. Okay, so I'm gonna actually start in 16. Rejoice always. Pray consistently. Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Simple. Rejoice always. Pray consistently and give thanks in everything. This is God's will for your life. When people ask all the time, like, how do you know what your purpose is? How do you know what God's will is? There it is. Give thanks in everything you want. Like that. That's part of it. Give thanks in everything. Wake up and give thanks to him. Things like I, when. When I pray. And, like, sometimes I'll be like, oh, like, you know, I. I'm running out of things to say. And it's like, you can never run out of things to say to the Lord. There's so much that he. That you can be thankful for. There's so much that you can be grateful for. Lord, I thank you for waking me up for. For my eyes working, even though I have context. But I thank you, Lord, for vision. I thank you, Father, for my senses that I can touch, feel, taste, see. I thank you, God, for organs in my body that are operating and working without my. Without my thinking or my knowledge. Like, they're just doing things and I'm not having to tell them to do it. For creating this body like a perfect machine. Lord, I thank you for my home and my. My food in my refrigerator. I thank you, Lord, for gravity. That's a thing. I thank you, God, for, you know, good coffee. I thank you, God, for my family and my friends. I thank you, God, for forgiving. Like, there's so much that we can be grateful for. So in everything, give thanks. That's a. That's a good way to cultivate humility in your life. So first Thessalonians 5, 18. I was again, like, I said, 16. So I'm going to say 16 through. Through 18 is really good. Another, Another way of cultivating humility in your walk is engaging in acts of service without seeking recognition. The Lord has called us to serve. The Lord himself said that I did not come to be served, but to serve. Jesus said that I. He came to serve others. And so you want to practice humility, serve. Find ways to serve people. Find ways to help other people. You can do that in your praying, you can do that in your giving. You can do that in your presence. Just being there for somebody. You can do that by acts of service. If there's a single mom that needs help, help her out. If there's a single dad that needs help, help him out. Maybe he has a daughter that he can't do her hair. So you. You. You volunteer to do her hair twice a month. Or there's an old person in your. In your church or your community or your neighbor that might need help with groceries or cutting the grass. And you do that, like, serve people. Go be the light in some dark areas. Right? That's a. That's a great way of serving people. If you look in Mark 10:45, it says here, for even the Son of Man did not Come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for. For many Mrs. Jesus. So when you think about it, if the perfect and holy Savior Jesus Christ came specifically to serve and we are supposed to be like him, then humble, like, fall under that humble submission and serve. Fall under that humble example and do as he did. That's another great way of cultivating a humble heart. Seek accountability. This is. This is something that I really, really love. And I believe Proverbs 27. Let me see if I can remember. I believe it's iron sharpens iron. But let me see if I'm. If I'm actually right, because y'all know I don't know. Y'all know I know scripture, but, like, I don't always know their addresses. But, yeah, let's see. 70. Yep, I was right. Iron sharp is iron. So the, like, seeking accountability. Like, that's something. That's something humbling about being in community with people that can tell you you wrong, that can tell you where you need to tighten up, that can even tell you that you can do something to encourage you to do something right? Like, it's something I'm telling y'all. And I. I have been in. I have been in. In relationships and friendships and circles where they let me do some crazy stuff. They didn't really check my sinful behavior. They encouraged it. I. I've been in. I've been in. In circles and communities where it's like, yeah, girl, do you like yolo? But now I'm in community where it's like, no. What does the word of God say that, like, points me to him, right? And there's something. There's something humbling about that, like putting yourself in proximity to people that will put a mirror up in front of you to be like, hey, this is what you look like, right? That helps you cultivate a humble, a humble life and a humble heart by being around people who are constantly going to put that mirror up for you and point you in the direction of God to help you be more like his son, right? So remember Proverbs 27:17. Iron sharpens iron. Okay? Embrace vulnerability. Share your struggles. Like we are saved by the. By the. By the blood and the word of our testimony. Like, we're saved by. Yeah, sharing our struggles with one another by. But like, I believe in. I think this is in 1st 2nd Corinthians, where it's like, confess to one another. I could be wrong. Oh, it says, but he said to me, our grace is sufficient for you. My power is perfect in your weakness. Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses so that Christ's power may reside in me. So take pleasure in weakness, insults, hardships, persecution and difficulties for the sake of Christ. For I'm weak, you're strong. No, this is not what I. This is not the one I thought it was. I mean, but I. But at the same time, even in that scripture, that's not the one I was thinking of. Because I was thinking of confess your sins to one another. Like, I believe that that's vulnerability to do that. 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Don't miss out on this limited time offer Uncommon Goods where we're all out of the ordinary. Do you know what I'm saying? Like even in that vulnerability, there's a humbling even in that to know that you cannot do everything out of your own strength. And really, and I've talked about this this past weekend, but like literally apart from Christ, you can't really do anything without God. You can't like your next breath literally is issued by Him. So like you really actually can't do anything. You are, you are a, a limited being. You are finite. You have, you have a capacity where the Lord has no capacity. Like he is great and infinite and beyond all that we could ever think or imagine. He's so you Know what I mean? He holds the. The world in his. In the palm of his hand. Like, he's. He's great. And so, yeah, like, even in this, in this scripture, it's like confessing your weaknesses is humbling, right? Another meditating on Scripture, like, that's just something that I just think is the biggest thing, like, through this past year of my life, your year and a half of my life of just like, consistently being in God's word, I'm knowing so much more about who he is and his nature. And in that is so humbling that this great and mighty and big God created me to do good works. And apart from Him, I can do nothing. I need him for everything. That's just bottom line. Like, I need God for everything in my life. And apart from Him, I can literally do nothing. I can't. Like, I. I could try. I can try to do some things, but at the end of the day, I just can't. Like that. It just is what it is. But there's one. Before I leave you guys, there's just one scripture that I really wanted to share that just. Yeah, that just sums up a lot of stuff for me. This is a scripture that kind of like, really points out, like, it's like the ultimate example of humility. But it says, adopted the same attitude as Christ. As Christ Jesus, who existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead, he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even to the death on the cross. For this reason, God highly exalted him and gave him a name that is above every name. So that at that name, so at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. That that scripture to me is just like, always crazy. It's like our God sent his Son to the earth. Like Jesus was all man and all God. And he humbled himself. Like he humbled himself to become a servant for humanity to the point of death. Like, he faced the cross. He humbled himself so much, and he faced the cross. Your situation, your. Your. Your unforgiveness, your whatever is not as hard as the cross. Do you know what I'm saying? Like, if Christ, who was all God, who had dominion and authority over all of that, still humbled himself to the point of death. Like, you can humble yourself as well. That same power is in you. You can humble yourself. You can say, this might hurt. This might be even a tad bit uncomfortable. This might even be embarrassing. But. But that humility is worth the noble character that he's producing in me. That humility is worth the intimacy, the dependency that I need to be close to him, to be like Him. It's worth it. It may not feel good. It didn't feel the best. You know, it wasn't like a proud moment of me to be like, I have held an offense towards my sister for seven years right after I've been on this podcast for, I don't know, a year, screaming at you guys about forgiveness. It's not. It's not something I'm. I'm proud or it feels comfortable to. To admit, but it is what's right. It is what God has called us to do is to humble ourselves. He gives grace. The Bible says that he gives more grace to the humble. More grace. We're living under his grace all the time. But. But he gives more grace to the humble. And when I. When I said yes to God in my heart, when he told me to forgive my sister, that moment, when that moment came where she was in front of, I. I could feel the grace of the Lord on me. I could feel his strength and his power to tell her that I was sorry. I didn't feel like I was saying it all by myself or doing it all by myself, but he was with me and he empowered me to do it. So. So, yeah, I just hope that this. I hope this podcast is helpful for you guys. I hope that you're able to. Yeah, to just start that humble journey with the Lord so that he can show you who he is and that you're always reminded of that. So that you stay in a consistent practice and flow of humility. Because I just believe that it's important. And if you have to do something humbling, just know that God is producing noble character in you. He's producing something really, really good in you. And that God wants to look at you and see his son. And so it might be uncomfortable, but through the power of the spirit, you can do it. And that the Lord, he's pleased with that humility. He's pleased when we have a heart posture of humility. So, yeah, I love you guys. Make sure that you, again, subscribe, like, send this to somebody. Send this to a friend or somebody that you might need to humble yourself and forgive or whatever the case may be, but send it to somebody and I love you guys and I'll see you next week. Hey you guys, before you go, I just wanted to say how grateful I am for your love and support. If you've enjoyed this episode, please take a moment and share it with a friend or family member. If you could do me one huge favor, head over to Apple Podcast and leave a five star rating and a heartfelt review. It helps others just like you discover the podcast. You guys, let's continue to spread the inspiration. For more about me and the podcast, visit WW www.themaganashley.com. until next time, stay encouraged that you are so valued and so loved.