Transcript
Megan Ashley (0:01)
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.
Jay (0:17)
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Megan Ashley (0:19)
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.
Jay (0:50)
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. How I knew to pursue In Totality as far as the podcast, I believe that when I prayed and asked the Lord what He wanted me to do next, at first I felt like I didn't get really a response. And then after some time I felt like the Lord said, continue. As much as I was scared, as much as I didn't want to, I didn't have any peace about not continuing. And I remember my mom used to tell me that if you don't know what the Lord wants you to do next, do the last thing he told you to do and just keep doing it until he tells you to do something different.
Megan Ashley (1:49)
Hey, you guys.
Jay (1:50)
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. Welcome back to another episode of In Totality. I am your host, Megan Ashley, and I am thrilled that you came back to kick it with us. If you did not know, today is officially our one year anniversary, so virtual claps all the way around. We are so excited that we've Made it a year. It seems as if the year has flown by, and it has. I think that, you know, if I think on month by month, it feels like there were some moments that were, like, drawn out and dragged out, but we've made it a year. And what I can be most grateful for, what I am most grateful for, is that the Lord has. Has been with us and that the Lord has provided that the Lord has been, you know, sustaining us, that he has kept us. And then for me to look and see, you know, Jay and Jordan are still here sitting behind the cameras doing all the things, like, I'm grateful for that. That the Lord has really, like, sustained us. And so I'm going to try my best not to get emotional because, yeah, it just was a hard year. And so, you know, to have people still be by your side, it's just. I'm just super grateful. And I'm grateful that the Lord has sustained us and provided in, like, in. In multiple ways, like, financially provided and made sure that everybody was taken care of, provided, you know, equipment and my home and just all the things that, like, you can easily take for granted or easily forget to thank him for. I'm just grateful. And so. And so, yeah, before we get started with the episode, make sure you click the subscribe button. Make sure you hit the, like button. Make sure you, yeah, do all the things. It was funny because I was. I was looking at the episode, my first episode. Oh, thanks. Jordan's like, here's some tissue. Are you okay? Yada, yada, whatever, whatever. But I was. It was funny because I was looking at the. The first episode that we did and, like, how I was, like, literally 20 pounds smaller, like, I look sick. And we were in my basement. And I just remember being so scared, Like, I was so scared to do this, you know, to do the podcast. And I was just listening to it this morning as I was getting ready. And one thing that I'm grateful for is that a lot of the things that God has shown me and a lot of the things that he spoke to me when starting this podcast has remained, like, being completely dependent on him has been, like, a theme, I guess, for this year. And so, yeah, just. Just taking myself back to that day, that episode, how, you know, how I was in a place of healing, still. Still a lot of brokenness in me, but healing and how fearful I was, but that I did it, how as much as the enemy wanted me to feel alone, how I could look and see that Jay and Jordan were there and how she, like, they're still here. So all the, I don't know, all the things, I'm just like super, super grateful. And so yeah, my Patreon community, I let them know that we were doing a one year anniversary episode. And I really don't have much to say because as you guys know, I'm still reeling from Acts 242 conference. I'm still utter shock and awe at what God did. I mean, I'm not shocked in the sense of it's God, right? But like I'm still in awe of, of what happened this past weekend at the Acts 242 conference. And so yeah, this episode is going to be super laid back. I'm just going to answer some of the questions from my Patreon community as far as like what this year has been like and kind of maybe some of the lessons I've learned, some of the transitions that I've made, all the things. And so if you would like to join my Patreon community, the link is going to be in the description. You can go to ww patreon.com Megan Ashley and join there. You'll get all the behind the scenes of Kind of My Life. We have a docu series that Jay so brilliantly produces and does all the things for that. And it really is like this, you know, vantage point of just all the other stuff that you don't get to see. Stuff like my children preparing for certain speaking engagements, life, just life stuff at the house or just doing things with my kids, doing Subway, Jay and Jordan. You get to see my mom and some of my other family members, some friends. And so it's really cool to kind of see like when, again, when I said in totality, I meant that I, I don't believe that. I think with wisdom it's good for leaders to show how they steward their lives. And so I want to be a part of showing you that you can, you know, you can actually do this thing. You can actually sustain it and, and not compromise and yeah, just being transparent and vulnerable, that's just kind of all, all of what I'm about. And so the docu series, you get to see that you have some bonus clips from some guests that I've had on the pod. We do Bible studies, we do book clubs. All of this is on Patreon. And it really is more than anything, Patreon, the village has been a community of people. Like they love each other. They have really, people have found their people in the village. Like best friends have found best friends. Yeah, it's Just a beautiful. It's a beautiful community. And so if you're looking to kind of fellowship with like minded believers, I highly encourage you to join Patreon. And so, yeah, we have some really exciting things coming on there. Even, like, I'm really excited because I don't know what Jay's been been doing for like all the stuff for acts, but I'm really excited to see all the behind the scenes stuff that happened that weekend. I mean, Jay was everywhere and he caught some really cool moments that everyone isn't gonna see, but you will see it on Patreon. So I'm really excited about that. What else am I forgetting? Some YouTube. Yeah. Subscribe, like all the things, share, listen on all audio platforms. That still really helps. I know you probably like just watching the YouTube, but listening to the audio platforms really helps. Oh, AX242 has a YouTube page, guys, where if you're looking to like, see all the stuff that happened, I know a lot of people were bummed out they couldn't come, but you get to experience some of the glory that we experience. You'll be able to see that on, on YouTube. So make sure you subscribe to that as well. All right, well, I'm gonna get into some questions that my Patreon community has asked me. Jordan's gonna help me out. Okay, so the question is, how have the boys responded to the success of the pods and do I include them in, like, with guests and topics and stuff? I think for like, for Caleb, I feel like he's completely like, unaware of. He's aware, but doesn't like, have a response to the podcast. I think Jonah is extremely curious. He's kind of like, what is this? So what's happening? Like, what do you really do? Like, I think he's just extremely curious of, of what it is that I do all the time. Like, if I, you know, he knows that like this is all about Christ. He knows like the mission. I just think that he's curious of like, what it all means. Like, you know, so when he has friends that say, like, what do your mom. What does your mom do? He's like, she has a podcast. She talks about Jesus. She travels sometime and talks. So I think he's just curious. I think Eli, I. Eli is my oldest and he's extremely. Just proud. I think Eli just. I think he's the one who's experienced me the most. And so he's aware of some of the transit, you know, the intensity of the transitions that I've been in. And so for him to see me persevere and keep going and, you know, make my life about what God is doing in me and through me and what God has done, just in general, I think he's just very proud. Like, yeah, like, my mom has been through a lot, and she's. She's continued to persevere. And I think he thinks it's cool. Like, you know, he's a teenager, so he'll see videos and on Tik Tok and stuff like that. I think for Eli, the most I get. Or Eli and Jonah, I get a little concerned with because they are on Tik To Tok. They. Or they're not on Tik Tok, but they. Eli has a Tik Tok, Jonah doesn't, But can. I don't know. I think sometimes he still gets on there. But anyway, I think with them having access to social media, I have been kind of, you know, more concerned with, you know, what they might see and how that might make them feel when people don't have the nicest things to say about me, you know? And so as the pop. As the podcast has expanded, as the platform grows, I'm becoming more, you know, aware that they could see things, and I'm just wanting to protect them. And so it's causing me to have to shift, like, and not be so naive and be like, oh, it's not that big of a deal. But it's like, yeah, I want to protect them in a lot of ways. Yeah. I think that they're. I think they're proud of their mom. I think they're proud of how we've continued to do this. Yeah. I don't think, like, I don't think I have any other thing and say other than that. Like, they're just really proud, and I'm grateful that I have children who are excited that I get to, you know, spread the gospel and help people know more about God. I think that's really cool. So this question from one of my amazing village members says, my question is, what was the hardest part of starting in totality for you? A year, and what is now your favorite part of having in Totality podcast a year later? I think the hardest part of starting was doing it. Doing a podcast alone. I think that was, like, a major insecurity of mine is like, I was like, oh, dang. Like, I have to do this by myself and carry this by myself, in a sense. I think that was really scary for me. It was really hard to know how to be. How to be vulnerable and transparent with wisdom. Right. Like, it's real easy to get in front of the mic and just say whatever. But I do take the responsibility. Like, I hold influence. I take that responsibility seriously. Like, I take that serious. And I don't want to be. I don't want to ever misuse what God has entrusted me with by just saying. Just saying how I feel, what. In not caring about the effects of that. So I think I wanted to be very transparent and honest, but also use wisdom where I'm not damaging, you know, anybody in the process or. Or dishonoring anyone in the process. I really wanted to focus, not centering myself, centering Christ, but then using what God is teaching me, just using myself as an example of what God is doing and what he has done in me and who he is without pointing the fingers at other people or any of that. So I think that that was. I would think that was challenging for me because I can be very transparent in a naive way, thinking that everyone can hear my heart or, you know, everyone understands or whatever the case may be. I think that was. That was hard. What I love about In Totality now, I love that it gives people the opportunity to feel heard. Like, I'm not this super polished person. I'm. I'm extremely sensitive and emotional and all the things. And so I think In Totality gives people this. This feeling where it's like I'm talking to a friend or I'm listening to a friend, or I'm listening to, like, my homegirl, and, you know, they can just feel relaxed, like we're having a normal conversation, that the conversation isn't above them, that they don't have to come in feeling like, oh, I'm so unintelligent, or, you know, I can't understand. You know, I feel like I try to do my best at presenting the things of God and the gospel in a way where it is very, you know, digestible. Like, it's. It's easy to hear. And so I'm really. I'm really happy about what God has done in the podcast in that sense. I really enjoy having conversations with people that I admire. Like, I've had some of my favorite people on the podcast, and that has been really cool. So, yeah, I think those are the things that I love about. I love the fact that I get to do it at my house. Like, I love the fact that I don't have to go anywhere, that I can literally go from my bedroom to the. To the living room or my dining room and sit and talk. Like, I love that my Children get to be in the house and see what's going on. Yeah, I just think that it's, it's, it's a really, it's a really cool thing to do. And it's hard. But I do love, I love what it opens up for people. I love the conversations that it opens up for people. I love that I'm able to use my platform to present new books, new people, new conversations, new ideas, all the things. So, yeah, those are things I really, really love about it. Another question. This is from Jasmine. Hey, Meg, because you have. You take the Lord serious and you take responsibility serious, how do you handle the responsibility that God has given you and the lives you've changed and the weight, the weight of the work you do and the Lord speaking through you? Yeah, I think, I think, I think taking God serious is, to me, it's like my only response because I feel like he took me very serious.