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Madison Pruitt Trout
What's up, guys? Welcome back to another episode of Stay True podcast. I'm your host, Madison Pruitt Trout, and I am here with a very special guest, Lisa Beverly, who is a New York Times bestselling author. She is a mama, a grandma, a spirit, and also her and her husband run Messenger International. So she's just a boss of a woman. And I have been following you.
Lisa Bevere
It's so crazy, you guys.
Madison Pruitt Trout
I can't wait to get you into, like, now our relationship and how, you know, we know each other now. But I used to read all of your books, and the first. Or I still do, but, like, the first book that I read from you was Girls with Swords.
C
I was so excited when you showed me the picture of you leading the study at Auburn.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yes.
C
I'm like, what? That's amazing.
Madison Pruitt Trout
My first Bible study I ever led was with Girls with Swords.
C
Then you're an answer to my prayers, because we always pray that people will get ahold of the books. It'll touch their lives, and then they'll gather and teach us. So thank you.
Madison Pruitt Trout
It's so empowering. And I love. I love what you speak to. I love who you are. I love that you are a strong woman and that you help encourage other women to walk in strength, grace, and courage. And so I'm so excited for our conversation today, because we are going to be talking about. You just came out with a new book called Fight the Fight for Female.
C
The Fight for Female Claiming Our Divine Identity.
Madison Pruitt Trout
And I am so excited to talk about specifically just womanhood and femininity and just there is a world's version today of feminism and this whole feminist movement. And then God has, you know, spoken what true womanhood is and who we are to be as women, as leaders, as moms, as wives, as just human beings. And so I'm excited to dive in. And I honestly would just love to hear a little bit about your story and what got you into, like, what you're doing today. And then I'd love to jump into a little bit about your book.
C
Yeah. Well, first of all, this is so much fun. I mean, and it's not just now you've moved. Now we live in the same city.
Madison Pruitt Trout
We live in the same city.
C
Yes. And you're carrying a baby girl.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yes.
C
And that's so exciting.
Madison Pruitt Trout
So I'm like, learning from you. I'm like, tell me all the things.
C
I'll be the aunt or what would I be? I don't even even know because I'm not related, but I could be A fake. Relate because of your cousin.
Madison Pruitt Trout
I know. So context. I didn't even jump into that part. So my cousin Christian Bavir married her son, and Christian and I are first cousins. And she's been like my sister since day one. Like, Christian and I were inseparable. My mom would say all the time that we would scream, crying every time. They were like, okay, we gotta go home. We never wanted to separate, so we've been so close. And Christian's here in Nashville.
C
You guys are here, and she's pregnant with the first girl.
Madison Pruitt Trout
She's pregnant.
C
It's a whole day for doing it. Yes.
Madison Pruitt Trout
It's so fun.
C
And you both married tall men.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yes, we did. Tall, handsome, godly men.
C
Yes, that's it. Well, you know, first of all, I was a really good heathen and had never heard the gospel. And I was at Purdue University going to summer school because I was majoring in sun tanning at the University of Arizona and just not taking enough units.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Sun tanning.
C
I had to take some credits over the summer, and my parents were in this horrible season. They were getting ready to divorce for the second time. And there was just so much tension and so much strife at home that I asked my dad, I said, can I just move into the college dorm and go to summer school on campus? And he said yes. I think he understood. You know, like, when you live in a constant dysfunction, it's normal, but when you leave it and then find out, oh, not everybody lives like this. You come back, you're like, this is really hard. So I had moved into the dorm, met John at breakfast. For some reason, I decided it was important to slit my daisy dukes up to the waistband and come to breakfast with a bathing suit on. Oh, my goodness. And so I, you know, I made an entrance, I guess. And John had not dated anybody for two and a half years and had said, God, I just want you to bring me my wife. He looked at me and was like, I bind lust, but I'd really like my wife to have legs like that. I think I was like, hey, I'm gonna work with that prayer. And so he invited me to a Bible study picnic. I just heard free food. That's really why I went.
Madison Pruitt Trout
So he loved Jesus. You were not following Jesus?
C
Oh, I was the antithesis of following Jesus. I was a complete heathen. Every time he talked to me, I would cuss. And someone actually pulled me aside and was like, hey, he leads like an all campus Bible study. You might want to bring it down. I was like, well, I don't want him to think I'm a bad person, but I was. I was a bad person. So he invites me to this picnic, and I hear the gospel for the first time. Afterwards, we go for a walk, and I said, I. I want to do this. And he's like, what? I said, I want to do this Christian thing. Like, what do I need to do? Light candles? Like, what. What needs to happen? He said, well, you just need to confess your sins. I'm like, I don't remember them all. And he was like, can you just say you're a sinner? I'm like, I can. I can do that. So we prayed together. It was campus crusade. Four spiritual laws prayed together. John looks at me afterwards. He says, you're saved. I said, what does that even mean? And he said, it means you're whole again. Spirit, soul, and body. And he had no idea how broken I was. He had no idea I had lactose intolerance, I had an eating disorder, that my family was broken, that my heart was broken. He had no idea that there was this girl that was just fragmented and fractured sitting across from him. And I said, well, you know, I want to be whole. I said, but I only highlighted the dairy products. I said, so I can have cheese now?
Madison Pruitt Trout
He's like, what?
C
He's like, what are you talking about? He was totally stressed out. He was like, wait. I said, you just said I'm a whole spirit, soul, and body. I can't have dairy products. I have lectures and tolerance. So now I can have until I'm a Christian.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Hilarious.
C
And he was panicked.
Madison Pruitt Trout
He's like, she's missed it.
C
Yeah. He's like, wait, wait, this is a lot. A lot is writing on whether this works or not. And he was like, all right, just pray with me. So he had me repeat a prayer because he was so nervous, he couldn't even remember what I had. So he had me, like, do the fill in the blank. Thank you, Jesus, for healing me up. And then I just said lectures. And, Don, I felt this. I. The only way I can describe it is, like, warmth come into my stomach and untie all the knots that had been present there since I was 15.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Wow.
C
And I knew I was healed. I experienced the love of God. I went back to my room that night. I was like, jesus, I need you to stay in the hallway for a little bit. I got some stuff. I just, like, went into my room, dumped everything out. For some reason, I had, of course, not on top of alcohol. I decided, you know, I think pornography is a great thing to have in my derm. So I threw it all away. No one told me that. But here's the thing. When you get born again, God takes out your heart of stone and he gives you a new heart of flesh. And you feel things that you didn't feel before. And I had a sensitivity that I didn't want to grieve God. I had such an awareness of the holiness of God and the love of God and. And the cheapness of what I had been involved with. And so I dump it. I spend, like, so long looking for the book of Paul because John had said, paul said this, and Paul said that. Book of Paul. I'm like, there must.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Where's this Book of Paul?
C
Finally, I stand my little way. New Testament on its spine. I'm like, please open to the book of Paul. And it opens up to Corinthians. And I read, if any man is in Christ or a new creation, behold, all the old has passed away. Behold, everything has become new. And I just had such a revelation of newness. Here's the important thing, Maddie. I had this beautiful moment. Experienced peace for the first time. Got up the next morning, my feet hit the floor, and I heard nothing happened last night. Wow, you're too bad you can't just pray some prayer and think, everything's changed. You're not a Christian. And I froze for a moment. Then I remembered that I had been getting up for 21 years, and I'd never heard, you're not a Christian. And I thought, wait a minute. Satan is coming to steal something that I have. He's never had to steal it before because I was never a Christian before. And it was such a confirmation. And so John and I were just almost inseparable for the next two weeks. And I remember he said to me, you know, I could never marry you because I'm called to be in the ministry. And you're like, basically a former heathen, and I need to marry a missionary's daughter or pastor's daughter. And I just looked at him, I said, I don't remember asking you to marry me.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Wow. And he was like, she set him straight.
C
He was like, I think I might need her in my life. And so I think we got married a year and a half later. We've been married 42 years. October 2nd. I feel like I'm gonna make it. I mean, you and I know we're on the verge there. And we have four sons, and we're getting ready to have our ninth grandchild. And just the goodness of God and John became a youth pastor. He worked as an engineer, served at a church, became a youth pastor. And he would say to me, these young girls don't have anybody. And I was like, I'm not a package deal. Like, listen, you're the youth pastor. I am not your. Like, I'm not a youth pastor, you know, just because you are. And John would say, I just need you to be ready to say something tonight. And I'd be like, you just need to be ready for me to walk out the back door. And he'd be like, lisa. Lisa, I need you. They need somebody. So I remember I'd be in the back. That was back when microphones were on cords and they were, like, trapped on the platform. And he'd be like, lisa, I need you to come up here. I'd be like, no. No way, Lisa. And then, come on. I'd be like. He'd be like, come on. And he would hand me the microphone. And I just think, the love of God for those beautiful young girls in our youth group. I would open my mouth, and God would fill it, and I would. The whole way home, I'd be like, don't you pull a stone on me. And that again. I am not. I'm not kidding up. I have one eye. I'm intim. Intimidated by people. I'm not. And John, I remember, he said, you know what, Lisa? You're not your own. You're bought with a price, and you don't have the right to be comfortable when so many other people are uncomfortable.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Wow.
C
And I was like, don't talk to me like I'm a congregation. Don't preach at me. Yeah. But he was right, man.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yeah.
C
And I started to move beyond myself. I was editing John's books, and I loved being in secret editing his books. And then one day, his publisher said, your wife is so involved in your editing process, your storylines, she should write a book. And John was like, you're gonna have to tell her that, because I am not telling her that. So they call me in. I don't know why they want me to come in. I don't know if they want to talk about John's book project. And they're like, we think there's a book in you, and if you write it, we'll publish it. And I said, okay. I said, listen, every woman is anointed to edit their husband. I said, of course. I'm like, yeah, you shouldn't say it like that. Let me. Let me fix that. Doesn't mean I can write.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yeah.
C
And they said, well, we think you should. So I said, okay, give me six months and I. I will either do something or I won't. And I took my journals of all my different journeys with early motherhood and early marriage and crying out to God, wanting to hear his voice, leaving behind control and fear and anger. And I had all these things in my journal, Maddie, and I turned them into a book that came out in 19. Gosh, what year was that? Okay, I was 34, so that would have been. Or maybe it was 96. I think it came out when I was 36, 1996. And I just thought it was the sleep deprived rantings of a breastfeeding mother. I was like, I don't even know if this makes sense. We'll just give it to you. And it was one of the first Christian books because the Christian writing world is different now. Nobody was talking about anger. Nobody was talking about fear. Nobody was telling the kind of ridiculous stories I was telling, like being locked in the garage by my husband and taking hammer to the grill. Nobody was saying those kind of things. And so they were like, who is this crazy person? And I wrote a book. It was called out of Control and Loving It. And it opened up a world to me that I actually didn't even want opened up. And I remember people would say, can you come and speak? And I'm like, oh, just read the book out loud. That's not really how. So I started traveling and speaking. I think, gosh, you know, just very, very here and there. And I would go out on Friday and come back on Saturday because I had four little boys. And God's just been faithful to allow me that privilege to speak into the heart of women. And I mean, you had your beautiful cousins and how many sisters do you have? Two sisters.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Two sisters.
C
For some reason, I feel like you have eight.
Madison Pruitt Trout
There's a lot of us. We have big personalities. I'm just like, who carries like a multitude.
C
But I did not have female relationships that were healthy or strong or life giving or encouraging. And so when God told me he wanted to minister women, I was like, no, anybody but women, please. I don't like them.
Madison Pruitt Trout
I don't like them.
C
I don't like them.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Women can be mean.
C
I don't understand them. I'm not really them. I have a woman's body and a man's brain. And I went through all of that and God was like, I like them. I created woman as the answer to the very first problem that it was not good for a man to be Alone. And he said, begin to tell my women their answers, and they'll begin to act like answers. If you treat them like problems, they'll act like problems. And it was a turning point in my heart. I was pregnant with Alec, I think, when. When God tricked me into doing a women's meeting at a Pentecostal holiness church, which they don't even wear makeup. So I'm like, how did I get here? So anyway, that's kind of my background, and. Yeah.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Wow. And you just released a book.
C
Yes, I do.
Madison Pruitt Trout
On. On this topic of. Of, like, being a woman in today's world with. There are so many pressures and messaging out there of what it looks like to be a woman today. And I really want to dive into that because it can be really confusing, even for those raised in the church, even for those raised in Christian household or those who aren't and, you know, being confused on what does it look like to be a woman of God in today's world when there's so many, you know, messaging out there of, like, this is what you should look like. This is how you should think. You know, women and men, you know, fight for this. You should, you know, rule over men. They should bow to you. And, I mean, just all of these different approaches that we see in today's culture. And I'd love to just dive into that with you, because I know there's probably a lot of confused people out there, and it's like, how can I embrace femininity and womanhood the way that God calls me to?
C
Right. Well, it's actually at the point where it's a crisis if we don't. And I know that sounds like an overstatement, but it isn't. I mean, Maddie, just the idea that men don't know how to be men and women don't know how to be women anymore is so heartbreaking. I had the privilege of speaking at a university last week, and it was the chapel, and I spoke to the whole student body. And afterwards, I had young men coming up to me, and they said, I don't know what that means anymore. Like, I want to be that. I don't know how to be that. I had no idea how much we have deconstructed what it means to be a man and what it means to be a woman. And so when I. When I decided to write this book and you set it up correctly, I did not. I've. All of my other books were like, sister to sister, mother to daughter, how do we function in the church? This is the first one I've ever written where I said, this is how we function as women in society, how we interact with culture. So I did a deep dive into culture. I have never had so many footnotes in my books before. I had to do so much research.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yeah.
C
And I discovered that we have culture sexualizing what it means to be a woman, and the church silencing the voice of its daughters. And so we've got silenced and sexualized, which creates a very narrow pathway for women to walk. And so we've got a presentation of a woman is maybe a drag queen is a woman. I mean, I'm listening to so many college students. What is a woman? Someone who presents as a woman. You can't use a word, the definition of a word in its, you know, definition. Like, you can't use it. And they're like, they can't. They can't, because either they're afraid or they're just confused where they think, oh, you know, you know, your husband could be a woman. Grant could be a woman if he wants to be. And they're saying things like that. If Grant could be a woman, if he says, today's a woman, he's a man right now, but he could be a. No, no. It's a divine woven entrustment. And I don't think that we have understood the weight of our entrustment. And so we've had feminism telling us, if we want to be powerful as women, we need to act like men. And so we are like, okay, yes, we will behave sexually like men. We'll get on birth control. We'll abort our babies if they get in our way. Children are adherence to my career, my dreams, my possibilities. No married. Forget it. Men are going to hold me down. I'm not going to get married. I'm going to postpone that. I'm going to freeze my eggs. I mean, we've taken everything into our own hands, and yet. And yet finding our lives more empty, more disconnected, less intimate, less fulfilling. And at the same time, the men are living lives that they feel very unfulfilled. So we've got this angst between male and female. We've got women behaving like men for the last 30 years, and now we're shocked that men are acting like women.
Madison Pruitt Trout
We're like, wait, wait. We, like, step it up. And it's like, well, we put them there.
C
Exactly.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yeah.
C
Yeah. And so I want to just highlight a couple things that will kind of say the why. So I was at a church, and the matriarch of the church. She's. They're like, they're the founding pastors. And she was kind of off in the wings when I was speaking, and she came up to me and she said, did you ever meet Derek Prince? And I said, no, no. I knew he was a missionary to Israel and stuff. I never met him. And she said, well, I hosted him years ago, like maybe 30 years ago for a women's event. I was like, oh, that's nice. And she said, and we drove him back to the hotel, and my husband and I turned around and said goodbye to him, and he was weeping. And we're like, brother Prince, what is going on? And he said, I see an attack coming against the women. And if the enemy can get the women, he will get the children. And she said, don't draw back, Lisa. This is an attack against the next generation. And so when I wrote the fight for female, for me, it was about rescue. It's not about fighting for our rights. It's fighting to be rightly related to God. Rightly related. Male and female, rightly related to our children. And so that was kind of this mandate. But I. And I don't know if you saw this on my Instagram. I don't expect everybody. I don't even look at everything I post on my Instagram because my team posts. But I had gone to a coffee shop wearing a T shirt that said, the future is male and female. And, you know, Franklin's a little bit of a bubble. And I had men saying, thank you. You're like, thank you for including us in the future. I'm like, you're welcome. I had women saying, I need that T shirt. I was like, oh, okay. It was from a conference. I'm not sure where it is. And so I thought, everybody's happy. So I take a selfie with myself in sunglasses with the shirt, and I. This, I just wrote underneath it, the future is male and female. Because without male and female, there is no future. Not, like, super deep, which is like.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Kind of like common. Like, yeah, that's. That's good.
C
It's your parents.
Madison Pruitt Trout
That's right.
C
It's you and Grant. Yeah, the baby. Like, totally baby. So I'm like. I'm like, yay. And I just thought, everybody's going to be happy. I posted 922 comments later. You're a demon of hate. The men are always included. It's the women's turn now. This is co signing with patriarchy. We can't believe that you think it's okay for women to Be oppressed. Let's see what else. Oh, this sounds like all lives matter. I mean, it just. The whole thing exploded. And then the people started fighting with each other. And I got called a bigot for the first time. I mean, it just. It went wild. And I thought, this is something more. So I just typed. I got home, I typed into my laptop, what is the origin of the quote? The future is female. And I open it up and just in Google, and it's a Washington Post article that goes back and it says the origin of the quote, the future female was from a lesbian separatist group called Labris. And I'm like, oh, what's Labris? And it was the two headed axes carried by Amazons and the Greek and Roman goddesses. And they believed that the future is female was a call to war, a spell to cast, and an invocation. And 25% of the proceeds go to Planned Parenthood. And it came back into Hillary's campaign. She's the one that brought it back into popularity. I'm like, what in the world? 25% of the proceeds going to Planned Parenthood. Greek and Roman goddesses. And they admit that it's a spell. Like this is. And, you know, here's the thing, and you're probably aware of this. Young men 25 to 35 right now have the highest rate of suicide that they've ever had. They feel purposeless, they feel isolated. God is the one who said, it's not good for a man to be alone. So when women are not alongside the men, the men have no purpose. You know, women are the ones that add purpose to a man's labor, to his life, his legacy. You know, we used to talk about when the west was settled, the men went out there and they settled general stores and saloons and brothels. When the women came, education and churches and families. So we have a civilizing effect. Unless we step away and say, no, we're going to act like guys. And I had had a dream in 2016, probably during almost near your bachelor days. I don't know, what was that? What was The Bachelor Days?
Madison Pruitt Trout
2018, 2019. 2019. I'm like, I'm traumatized.
C
Remember? I just remember saying how dark that was. Yeah, I had a dream and I thought it was during those days, because you know what? I was at the hotel both times. I was at the hotel when I had the dream, and then I was at the hotel watching your clips on, like, YouTube. Christian would send them to me of you navigating it with grace. When I Was like so mad at somebody's mother. But anyway, so we don't want to talk about it. So I'd had this dream where I walked into a green room. And you know what a green room is? But this one was packed and it was just filled with women, all ages, all demographics, all races, women or educational, you know, directors, governmental leaders, influencers. And when I looked, they were all kind of holding something kind of close to their chest and petting it. And I was like, what are they holding? And when I got closer, they were all holding different rainbow colored or jewel toned baby dragons. And the baby dragons were dressed in children's clothing. And I was like, like, you know how people dress up their poodles or they're York. I'm like, what is going on here? So I went from woman to woman, Maddie. And I don't know if you've had a dream, you're trying to warn or tell people, and I say, hey, do you know you're holding a dragon? And they're like, these are different dragons. These are the wise, kind dragons. I'm like, there is no such thing as a kind dragon. I said, there is no agreement between daughters and dragons. And I turned from woman to woman. Nobody would listen to me. At the end of my dream, somebody thrust her dragon towards me and said, here, hold it. And in my dream, I reach out, I grab the dragon by the neck and I break its neck. And I wake up and I am physically doing that. Like, I wake up, I'm on back my hands, I've grabbed something, I'm flying through the air. I'm like, that dream entered my physical realm. What just happened? So I typed the whole thing out and I sent it to a dream interpreter. Like, I just snapped the neck on the dragon.
Madison Pruitt Trout
I don't know, I don't explain this to me.
C
It was in children's clothing. It was rainbow colors. You know, they're all different ones, wants, help me. And they're like, we have nothing. That was in 2016. And so. But I had written it down and I could still see it. I could still remember it. So when I start watching what's happening 2021, and I start seeing the sexualization of children, then I start seeing a generation of children where culture is saying, question your formation. God may have made you a mistake. You weren't woven in wonder, you were woven in mistake. Oh, your gender identity is this, but your body is that where the enemy is strategically dividing houses in their own bodies. Because if you can't trust God with your Formation. How can we trust him with our transformation? And I realize it's a unmaking of those who are created in the image of God. And so I felt like I had to say something. And so I brought my dream forward. And then I unpacked, basically, the sacred entrustment of women that we were set in motion between the serpent and the woman that is now the dragon and the woman and her children. We see that in Revelation 12:17. And then the dragon was enraged or furious with the woman and went to make war against her children.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yep.
C
Now you have a baby that you're carrying and you're feeling protective about that child. I remember once I gave birth to my first child. If I saw someone across the room that I did not know trying to touch my child, I mean, I was like.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Like, you're all of a sudden the protected. Yeah.
C
Oh, like the mama bear robbed of its cub, like a lioness. I'm gonna tear your heart out. Don't touch my baby. You know? And there's this for me. I cannot be silent. And I'm so proud of you that you've positioned your podcast that you're going to tell truth. And it's not kind to lie to people. It's not kind to say they're a mistake. I understand that people are uncomfortable in their bodies. I understand that there's so much sexualization. There's been abuse, there's been trauma, there's been distortion. There's constant imagery being sent to this generation that if you were this way instead of that way, you might be safe, you might be loved, you might. Whatever it is. And it could be something as consistently aggressive as, you're the wrong gender, or it could be something as small as, you're never going to be pretty enough. You're never going to be thin enough, whatever. But they both. They create a wedge.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yeah.
C
And for me, I had a conversation with a brilliant, beautiful younger woman who is a Christian, and she said to me. She asked me straight up, she said, if Jesus was sitting here with you and I and my friend who believes she's born in the wrong body was sitting here, what would he say to her? And I was like, do you know how early it is?
Madison Pruitt Trout
Like, I'm not ready for this question.
C
Like, trying to drink my cup. And I said, well, okay, first, I know. First things first. He would tell her he loved her. I said, second, he would say, you're not a mistake. I said, but third, Then he would say, I understand. And she was like, what do you mean he understands? I Said, do you know Jesus is our high priest? Hebrews 4 says that we have a high priest. No, he was never transgender, but he understands the struggles, the frailty, the agony of our humanity, and we can come to him with anything. And I said, he was the Son of God, and he set aside his divine form and he emptied himself, Philippians 2 tells us, of his divine privileges, and he put on flesh, and he took on the nature of a slave. He became us so we could become like him. And they said, so if anybody was ever uncomfortable in their body, Jesus was uncomfortable.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yeah.
C
All we've known is this. And I said, and yet you and I are seeds. We're seeds. Corinthians makes it so clear that my body, the body I have now, is a seed that goes into the ground and dies, but actually becomes alive in eternity. And who I really am is who I really am in eternity. And this life is just a vapor.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yes. Yes. That's so good. Oh, that's. There's so much there to unpack and so many thoughts that were coming to my mind. And one thing you were speaking. Speaking to early on just reminded me of, like, even the agenda that our culture and media is pushing today, even in the movies that we watch and the shows that are out today with, like, making women the. The rulers and men, the. The servants and the Barbie.
C
Like the Barbie movie, maybe.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yeah. And Woman King, and there's just all kind of movies out there where it's like, men are portrayed as weak, you know, like, men are seen as very weak, and women are the powerful heroes that conquer the world, and nothing can stop women. I love the shirt that you posted and got some hate. But the future is male and female. That it is true. And I'd love for you to speak to that a little bit more. Like, what does it look like? What should the male and female relationship look like as women and men of God?
C
Yeah. Well, as I mentioned earlier, 42 years of marriage, we haven't always done it perfectly, but we have done it well. And John and I believe that a good marriage is two people committed to bringing the best out in one another. A marriage is not a competition. A marriage is A win for you is a win for me. A marriage is. We love God and we love each other, and we're going to call each other higher. We are. We are. We're committed to growing together. And so I. You know, I think that what we've done is women get married and they think I'm married to change the husband. The husband things I'M married to change my wife. And instead, we. We. We're supposed to love somebody into their growth. Like, people protect the areas where they're criticized or attacked, and people flourish in the areas where they're celebrated. So. So we need to celebrate masculinity. Like, okay, right now, I don't know if you've noticed you can barely say the word masculinity if you don't put toxic in front of it. I mean, it's like a pairing. Like toxic masculinity. There's no masculinity that's nice anymore. It's just toxic masculinity. Patriarch. The word patriarch. When I started writing the book, patriarch was a man worthy of respect and a leader of a tribe or a people group. Now it's the oldest person in a group, and it's American patriarchy. And it's like a bad thing. Like the sentence. Use it in a sentence. And so we seem to forget that God is a patriarchal God. He's the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Yes, yes, yes. There's Sarah. Yes. There's Rebecca, and there's Rachel. But he goes down. He's a father. He's a father. And so when we strip away men's ability to be masculine, they shrink. And so women, though, will fill the role because they've got to take care of kids. So if the men shrink, you know, you hear it say when. I think there's a saying, it says when. When women act like men, men act like boys. Well, I would actually say that women act like men when men act like boys. But there's also this big saying out right now. It's about, you know, hard times make strong men, and then strong men make good times. And good times make weak men, and weak men make hard times. So what do strong women make? I believe that strong women make strong men. And when we talking about speaking strength to the strength instead of attacking weaknesses, male and female are allies. Like, there's things that you're gonna see that Grant's gonna miss.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Totally.
C
There's things I'm going to see that John's gonna miss. There's things that John sees and Grant sees that you and I would never see. And we need both of those. We need the insights from both sides of that perspective. Instead of fighting to say I'm right or you're wrong, you know, we need to say, okay, let's bring this together. So I think we have a generation of young girls that, I mean, don't. Your parents, you know, beautiful Christian parents, they've modeled something great for you. I didn't have anything modeled for me. I knew what I didn't want to do, Maddie. I didn't know how to build what I wanted. I didn't know what does it look like? I never saw my parents kiss. I saw them fight. I never saw my parents even and cuddle. I saw them fight. I saw them reject each other. I saw them sit at opposite sides of the room. I did not know how to love someone well. And because I didn't know how to love someone, I didn't know how to receive love. And so, you know, when, when we get married, it will bring our packages, whether we want to or not, into the marriage. And so I was like, protect, protect, protect, protect, protect, protect, protect. And I remember, I think I was married to John. It was like 12 years. And he said, I don't know how long we're going to have to be married before you realize, I'm not going to leave you. I'm not your dad. And he said, I'm not going anywhere.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Wow.
C
He said, are we going to be 75? And you look at me and be.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Like, you're still here. He's like, can you get this now?
C
Yeah. He's like, we're going to miss a lot of fun. I was like this, you're right. I felt so bad, but I was trying to protect myself rather than protect his heart. And so the woman is the guardian of the heart and the man is the guardian of the woman. And that's not a downplay to her necessity. I mean, I think you're going to find, because you've been married for a.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Year, two years, couple years. Okay.
C
You're going to find that you're probably able to help Grant express his frustrations and heart so women can hear what a heart is saying. And when you can actually be that guardian of your husband's heart, your family's heart, the heart of God, then you bring out the best. Rather than appealing to. I'm going to manipulate, I'm going to dominate, I'm going to control. I'm going to sexually, you know, withhold. I'm not going to. What. Whatever. Whatever the power struggle might be. So. So we've got men who have a beautiful God given strength that is physical and it is structural and it is governing. And then we have women who have governing, but it's nurturing and it's relational and it's connections. And so we need both of those to come together. And when I was, when I was talking about the Book, I wanted to bring people back to the origin that in the Hebrew it was Ish and Ishah. They were so closely related that their names declared the relationship. We do say that with man and woman, but Ish and Ishah, and it's like having two sides of the same coin. They're both valued, and if either of those are destroyed, it destroys the value of the entire coin. And so they were one, and God gave them both dominion over everything but each other. And then the fall happens. And when the fall happens, they start to fight, and they start to exercise their fallen form of dominion, manipulation, and domination. And there's this battle. But guess what? We're not under the fall anymore. Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost, and that is why our marriages should flourish. And so me speaking life to my husband's strengths does not make him a narcissist. It actually will make him talk less about himself the more I talk about him. If John celebrates me more, I don't have to look to other people to celebrate me. And so we want to be intimate allies, not disjointed, power struggling people. And I do think we have a generation with parents that were all about their own happiness, that were raised to be selfish.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yeah.
C
Rather than selfless.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yeah, that's so good. That's so good. And so countercultural. And, you know, for those watching or listening, like, this is. This is truth. And we live in a world where everyone has their own version of truth. My truth, my feelings, you know, if I want to love this person or I want to change this about myself or I want to follow, and we will see that there will never be contentment or peace or fulfillment or any purpose in any of that. Because the way that we were designed, you're saying, going back to your original design, the way we were designed, we were made from love for love. We were made from God for God. And until we go back to that original design, until we come under that covering of truth, we're going to always be in tension and in struggle and in confusion and. Because that's what you see is, like, people who are following their truth. Truth, and they're changing their bodies or they're, you know, become loving whoever they want, whatever. They're still discontent and they're still suicidal and they're still depressed, and they're still all these things. And it's. Because that's not the answer, and that's not the truth that will set you free. There is only one that can set you free. And what leads to true freedom is finding that truth. And so I love that you spoke to that. And I'd love to just get practical for. For I have a lot of female listeners. And so just to get really practical, you know, how can women embrace their womanhood? And what does it look like to be like, something that I love about you is because I feel very like from the beginning, when I first started.
Lisa Bevere
Reading your books, I was like, I.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Relate to Lisa, like. Cause I.
C
You're wired a little bit more like me.
Madison Pruitt Trout
We're wired similar. And I think for a long time, I felt the same way of, like, I have a man's brain, and I want to lead and take charge, and I'm passionate and I'm strong. And I've been told that that's only for men. And. And so, like, I didn't know how to steward those things, and I saw those things as wrong or I didn't know how to use them for the glory of God. And so I would love to just speak to, like, what does it actually mean, you know, for the women who maybe are wired strong and have, you know, passionate spirits and big dreams, but to still, you know, be under the covering of male leadership, to still respect and submit and. Yeah, what does that look like in the context of womanhood? And then I'd love to talk about it also in the context of being married and being a wife.
C
Well, first of all, I love that you're bringing this up. And one of my favorite sayings is, strong is not wrong. Like, strong is not wrong.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Amen.
C
Yeah. And I love. Ephesians says, God is strong and he wants you strong. So it's. The strength part isn't the problem. The misuse of it is.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yes.
C
I remember before I married John, I thought, he's too nice.
Madison Pruitt Trout
He's too nice.
C
I'm gonna push him around. I'm just gonna. I'm just gonna railroad him. I don't know. I don't know. And God was like, do you hear yourself? You want a mean guy? You. You want someone dominating you? There's something wrong with you that you want to push someone around. And I was like, okay, okay, okay.
Madison Pruitt Trout
You're right. Yeah, you're right.
C
You're right. It's me. It's me. And. And so, first of all, celebrate your strength. Celebrate your strength, but don't misuse it. And I love how. And again, this is in the message, but it says, strength is for service. When we have strength, we have strength to lift others, not oppress them, not to push them. Aside, not to negate their value. So we want to say that our strength is going to serve not ourselves, but others. And then I do think we need to challenge this generation to say, you know, just pause with a journal and the Holy Spirit and say, where have I partnered with the lies of culture? Whether the partner of the lie of I'll be fulfilled once I get married.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yes.
C
That getting married doesn't make you whole. Jesus makes us whole. Or men are a problem. That's a lie. Men are an answer. No, that's also a lie. God is the answer. You know, so where have I partnered with alive that I. I'm going to go into the man's world, I'm going to beat him? Like, where have I. Because it's shocking how much the songs you sing and the movies you watch, how they infiltrate your thought processes without you even knowing it.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Totally.
C
Where have I partnered with lies? Where have I partnered with, you know, the feminism that comes after men, that isn't adding value to women, it's destroying men. Men. That's not. That's not helpful. This is a scarcity mindset that we lift up women by pushing down men. That's silly. So wherever I partner with lies, and then also, God, show me. Show me the beauty of my femininity. Because, see, Maddie, I saw femininity as like, frilly, proofy, weak, whiny. And God was like, you need to go into the Bible.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yeah.
C
And some femininity like JL Femininity. Deborah. Femininity.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yeah.
C
I mean, he started to show me Esther fast, because I'm going to go, and if I die, I die. I mean, he started to show me the femininity in the way God looks at it. The wise women, the prophetess. I mean, like you, it's. It's not weak, wimpy women. Abigail. Stopping David from losing. Losing. Becoming a Saul, you know, whispering, having a strategy. Let me whisper in your ear. God has made a promise to you. David, don't do this. My husband's a fool. Put him beneath your nose. Where are those wise women? Where have we adopted the words and the narratives and the culture of foolishness and manipulation and seduction and we throw away men and you know that marriage is just a contract rather than a covenant. Where have we acted like we do not have permission to flourish? You know, I know that there's a lot of churches and I mentioned that there's a silencing. So. So if you go to a church and they're like, no, women are not allowed to preach on the Pulpit. Well, is that the only place you can preach? Is that the only place you have voice? Yeah, I mean, you, you could. There's a whole world out there. There are harvest fields that are white and onto harvest. And God is never told women not to make disciples. He has never said not to preach the gospel. So we have full permission to preach the gospel. And then when you look at the Proverbs 31, Woman, instead of getting mad at her, instead of getting mad, she's my permission.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yeah.
C
I can buy fields, I can trade and sell, I can clothe my household, I can laugh at the future. I don't have to be afraid because my house is clothed. It's in a covenant with God. So we need to hit those strongholds that have lied to us. You know, like when I wrote the book Fight like a Girl, it was my journey to say, why should I be happy I'm a girl? Girls, when they fight, they pinch, they.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Cheat, they kick, they scratch.
C
And God was like, well, what if fighting like a woman was completely different? What if it was fighting with wisdom? What if it was fighting for life? What if it was fighting for truth? What if it was sending your children as a legacy into the future? Do you know, I, I still, I mean, I'm so honored that I get to write books or travel and speak, but the thing I'm the most proud of is my sons. That's my arrow that goes into the future. That is my long range legacy weapon that I could make a covenant with God. After generations of ridiculous people that made horrible choices with their finances, their alcohol, drug use, their sexuality, that I would say, you know what? I'm going to be the beginning of a thousand generations who love God and keep their commandment. Instead of saying, well, I'm going to study about trauma for a thousand generations. I'm going to be like, hey, hey, our family was obviously a threat. Nobody caught on to that. So they all decided to be victims. And so I'm going to, I'm going to flip this narrative and I am going to be a threat. I am going to, you know, and you know, from Girls with Swords, I'm like, when the enemy attacks you, it's not because you're a victim, it's because you're a threat. He's targeted you specifically because he's not stupid. The demonic realm, they're ancient spirits. They're not all knowing, but they are wise, they're crafty. It's not the wisdom of God, but they can see things. And so knowing as a woman, I Think there's also an important thing to say. Have I partnered with the lies of the dragon? Have I partnered with the lies of the enemy? Have I part? Have I. Have I been entertained by things that are sexual, that have compromised me, that have made me look at my femininity, my sexuality, my body? Everything's wrong. Like, what is going on? So that I think the young girls need to do. And then I think that when it comes to marriage, some of those same things need to be said. Like, how come I'm talking to my husband like he's an enemy when he's an ally? Why am I more well acquainted with John's weaknesses than his strengths? Why, when I was dating him, I could have itemized a whole list of all the amazing things. Now, as soon as I married, I'm like, well, he doesn't chew with his mouth shut. I mean, like, I'm coming up with things that are so minor that I'm like, what happened? You know? And so instead of focusing on those things. And again, the men right now are hurting. They're hurting. And we are the ones. God said it's not good for man to be alone. We are the ones that can. Actually, there's a scripture. I think it's Jeremiah 25:19, but that could be completely wrong. But the scripture says God will do a new thing. A woman won't encompass or encircle a man. And one of the versions says, a woman will encircle a warrior. And when I went into NT Wright's commentary on this particular verse, they're like, it. We're completely confused by this. They're like, we have no idea what this was ever about. Like, was this. Just a moment. They just wrote something. They said, it hasn't been fulfilled. And so, Maddie, when I was praying into it, I thought about how the young men and our men are feeling disenfranchised, emasculated, lack of purpose. Can we come around them and remind them who they are, that they are sons of the Most High God, that they have a purpose? That pornography will not be the end of their story? That they are going to rise up warriors, not just video games? But we need them to be like, can we come back and take our anointing of multiplication instead of our lower form of division and use it to strengthen the men and strengthen the family? Because at the end of the day, we fight by flourishing. We don't fight by killing. We fight by flourishing. The more we flourish, the more the enemy is displaced. And so for me, when I opened the Book up with the dream. But I closed it with the doctor and I had a, I had a rabbi highlight that the heroes of Exodus, the beginning heroes were all women. So it was first the midwives. And they were not Hebrew midwives, they were Egyptian midwives. So we have the midwives, then we have Moses mother, and then we have a sister. Then we have a woman of influence who is Pharaoh's daughter, who. So all of these women, civil disobedience to rescue men. It's always been our purpose and it brought it set up a generation for an exodus between the way things are to the way they should be. And I believe that we are set up for an exodus right now. And God is saying to the women, will you be that answer?
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yeah, yeah, man. So good. And rise up and knowing who you are in Christ and not trying to take that from someone else or belittle someone else to make yourself feel better. I think is, is such a good message for those listening. And, and I love that you spoke to that when I was first asking you about just like strength and my like understanding of what I thought strength was. And even coming into marriage, like I was, you know, I struggled with the gender roles and I struggled with submission and I struggled with, you know, respect, respecting my husband. And I remember having moments of like, God, I don't like the way you designed this. I don't like your original design. I have beef with it and I want to change it and I want you to do something about it. And I struggled with it for a little while and then I remember just one day hitting my knees and saying, okay, Lord, I'm tired of coming to you with a list of all the things my husband's doing wrong and all the things I want changed and all the things that I want different. And instead I just was like, help me to be a God fearing woman and wife, like, help me to be the wife you've called me to be. And it's crazy because just that simple prayer changed our marriage. It changed our marriage.
C
I believe that.
Madison Pruitt Trout
It really did. All of this strife, all of this tension, all of this like me not wanting to submit and trying to control and trying to manipulate and trying to lead it. Just now I began to fall in love with God's original design because I saw it was best. I saw it was the way God designed it and he designed it that way for a reason.
C
And submission doesn't mean you lost a voice.
Madison Pruitt Trout
No. Oh my God.
C
It actually means you're actually more involved. Submission means under assignment that you Guys are building something together. You're not fighting him every step of the way.
Madison Pruitt Trout
No, that. Which is so true. Because submission is like a cuss word in today's world. People are, like, terrified of that word.
C
But it has been misused. Yes, but, God, one thing I revisited when I was writing this book is, Maddie, God is so much more specific about the man's role than the woman's. Like, he's like, you love your wife. Not just any way. Like Christ loves the church. You wash her with the water of the word. You evoke her beauty. You. You know, like he. He isn't. Like, you tolerate your wife.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Right. You know, you lay your life down for her.
C
Exactly. And so when all those things are happening, like, that's. Why wouldn't you.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Right.
C
And I remember I was very similar, you know, fighting with John. You know, if submission meant if I agreed with him, I did it. If I didn't, I fought with him the whole way. And then if it was a bad choice, I was like, do you remember I told you not to do this? I mean, I was lying. I'm so thankful for you. But I remember I was in the shower and I was all stressed out. And God said, you think that you can do it better? And I said, I know I can do it better. He said, it's a yoke to you, Lisa. It's a mantle to John. Throw it off. And I said, if I throw it off, nothing's going to get done. There's going to be confusion and chaos. He was like, throw it off. And there are women carrying things that are yokes. When God is saying, my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Amen.
C
So if it's heavy, they're not. They're carrying something they're not supposed to carry.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Amen.
C
And the man will not take it from you. Especially when they're brand new married, all they've known is a mom. So they act like little boys didn't want to smack them. You're like, grow up. Well, we as women, we. We call forth that prince. We call forth that leader in them. So we're not gonna speak to the boy. We're gonna speak to the man. We're not gonna speak to the fool. We're gonna speak to the prince, and we're gonna call him into the being that God created him to be. And, you know, I even know for me, there was times early on in our marriage I don't feel this way at all anymore where we'd have to make a decision. And I Would I. Would I just. Because I'm in my. I was in my pullback state. Pullback, Lisa, Pullback. And I would say, I know you'll do the right thing. And my husband was like, that was. I was saying to my husband, my head's going, no, he's not.
Madison Pruitt Trout
No, it's not. It's not gonna be good. Terrible.
C
And like, what? I've just shot up person in my head, you know? And I thought, either way, if we are one, even if it's a mistake, God somehow redeems it, gives us a lesson.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Totally.
C
And. And it all turns out good.
Madison Pruitt Trout
So good. So good. And. Yeah. And. And letting the Lord define what true strength is, turning to God's word for what true strength is, and not your own feelings, not your flesh, not the way that the world says is strength. Because I would excuse my sin and say, this is just how God made me, and this is strength, you know, And. And my husband called me out, and I remember it, and he was like, is that strength or is it sin? And he was like, you need to pray about that. Like, maybe you're. And I love that you spoke to this, but he was like, maybe you're coming into agreement with something that's not of the Lord. And I think that's such a good word for those listening to this podcast right now is what are you coming to agree into agreement with that is not of the Lord? Like, what are you coming into agreement with that is alive from the pit of hell, and that is keeping you from being the woman of God or the person of God that God has called you to be in today's world and from living the life that he's called you to live. Like I. And I love you also were speaking to this earlier. Galatians 5 talks about true freedom, and it talks about how we don't use our freedom to indulge our flesh, but we use our freedom to serve others humbly in love.
C
Right?
Madison Pruitt Trout
And that is what true freedom looks like. And so when. When God gives us, you know, these gifts and these things, it's not for me to go, you know, live lavishly for Maddie and do whatever I want and abuse and oppress and, you know, and same thing for men. It's like leadership that God calls men. To walk in is not to oppress women or to, you know, hurt women, but it's to serve them.
C
It's not going to even answer your prayers if you don't treat your wife.
Madison Pruitt Trout
I mean, so God, it'll hinder your prayers.
C
I've got your back, you know. And so, I mean, I think, I think we both probably early on mistook our willfulness for strength.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yeah.
C
And God was like, this is, this is willfulness, Lisa. This isn't, this isn't. This isn't attractive.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yeah.
C
This is not.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yeah.
C
This is not totally. And this is fear on your part. You don't trust John. And he said, I'm not going to ask you to trust John, but I am going to ask you to trust me. And I said, okay, I can trust you. And now I trust John. But it started with trusting God.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yeah. Amen. And for those listening, too, if you are discouraged because you're like, I haven't been operating, you know, as the woman God has called, you know, me to operate in. And you talk about this a little bit in Girls with Swords. I remember. And you say a beautiful quote that I don't remember. And I'm gonna see if you remember the exact way you see it. But something along the lines of, like, the enemy is more terrified of, like, he's not as afraid of your past as he is of your future. Something like that.
C
Yeah. I said, yeah, he's, he's, he attacks us. He doesn't attack us based on our past. He'll, he'll, he'll say that, but he's actually, what he's afraid of is who we're going to be in the future.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yes.
C
You know, he's, he's more afraid of who he might be in the future than we have been in the past.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Which is so true.
C
And so he'll, he'll bring up our past.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yes.
C
To try to hijack our future.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yeah.
C
But he's, he's afraid of our future.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yeah.
C
And that's what the thing I love is. I love that I have a story.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yeah.
C
I love that you found yourself in some of my story. I love that I could go to bed rebellion free one night after four years of fighting to have my own way. I love that people that are listening to this podcast that have maybe been living lies or agreeing with lies because they didn't want to have any kind of cultural tension now can be like, you know what? I can be courageous tomorrow.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yeah, totally.
C
I don't have to. I don't have to agree with false narratives to get along because it's just false.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Peace. Yeah. New beginnings. You can start today, from this day forward to walk in the new creation that Christ Jesus has for you. And so if it has been your story where you have, you know, seen your body or your Relationship status or whatever it is. You have all these idols in your life or you've turned to the things of this world for, you know, definition of who you are rather than to God's word for definition of who you are and who you're called to be. You can change that today, like, from this day forward. You can choose to walk in biblical femininity. You can choose to walk in biblical womanhood and to embrace the woman God has called you to be. And that's what's so cool and redeeming about our God, is you've shared your story in your past and as I've shared some of my things, too. It's like, we're not perfect and we all have these messy stories, but it's like we can learn from these things and allow God to redeem them, share them with other people and show how Christ has redeemed us and set us free. And so I hope that is encouraging to those listening. And I'm just so thankful for your story and this book, this word for today's generation, how desperately we need this. The confusion that is being spread throughout colleges, throughout. I mean, young. I mean, now, now in like, fifth, sixth grade. Like, I mean, it's. It's crazy what we're seeing in our world today. Children's books. I'm, like, walking around, you know, like, New York one day, and I see a library with all of these children books, you know? Yes. It's. It's telling little children, like, who. That they should change their bodies and that they should love, you know, the same sex and be who they want to be. And, and it really want to be.
C
But they're always telling them they're a mistake.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Their mistake.
C
Yeah, it's shocking.
Madison Pruitt Trout
It's, it's. And, and I, on this podcast, you guys know, I will always, always, always speak the truth of God's word. And I think we live in a time where everyone wants to speak, you know, what might be easy to hear or what's culturally relevant or what feels good to the flesh in the moment. But like, you said this, you said this earlier, but truth is what is loving, and the truth is what's going to set us free. And I'm really thankful for you coming on here, sharing the truth, writing so many books that you guys need to go and check out, because truly, they've changed my life and so many other people's lives that speak the truth and help us women walk in truth, strength, grace and courage and embrace how God has made us not settling for lives of less than and lies that the world tries to put on us, but embracing who God's made us to be. So thank you so much for coming on Stay True podcast. It was so much fun and so good. And I'm excited to go and read your book, the Fight for Female. But yeah, that this was so fun. This was so good.
C
Yeah. Well, thank you for what you're doing and it was an honor to be with you.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Yeah.
C
Yay.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Well, I'm so excited, you guys. This was such a fun episode. I've wanted to have you on for a long time and God's timing is out absolutely perfect.
Lisa Bevere
That was an amazing episode with Lisa Bevere. I am so grateful for that woman and she has made a difference in my life and I'm sure some of your lives. And if you haven't heard of her, you seriously need to go and read some of her books because she's amazing and follow her. But I wanted to just jump on here really quick as we are getting closer and closer to this election. I said this last week and I will continue to emphasize this, this until the election is here. Just the importance of the role that we play in this, you guys, and the importance of registering to vote, of getting out and voting. I'm pretty sure soon you can start early voting. And so even if you don't want to bother voting on the actual day of the election, you can register to vote early. And so I just want to encourage you guys, we, it is so, so important that as Christians, we play a role in the, the change we want to see in our nation. If we want to see our nation love God. If we want to see our nation be a nation of freedom, if we want to see our nation be a nation where you can dream up and become all you aspire to be. If we want to see our nation fight for life and for the life of future babies. If we want to see our nation just go back to the original God's design, being one nation under God and how the nation of America was started. We have to play a role in fighting for that. And that's sharing it with other people. That's voting. That is talking about voting with your friends. That is posting about that on social media. But we play a role, guys. Okay? So we can't just sit back and just not vote and not talk about it and say we're not going to get involved because we're not political or because, you know, of X, Y and Z. No matter where you stand, no matter what, you know, even if you don't like this candidate or you don't like both candidates? Like, I just want to encourage you guys to look at the policy and to look at what each of the candidates would be implementing and what they would be creating and changing for our nation and our country. And both have experience is what's crazy. So you can actually look at both candidates with both Trump and Kamala and see what they've done for our nation in the past and see where our country was at when Trump was president, where our country is currently at right now with Kamala being vice president. And so take a look and make, you know, an informed decision based off of research. Don't just go off of whatever mass media is telling you. You can't trust mass media. You can't trust what tick tock is saying and what, you know, all of these like big time celebrities are saying and even what a lot of the news outlets are saying. Do your own research. Learn what policies you're passionate about and what God most importantly calls us to, what scripture calls us to. What's the most biblical? How can we return back to a nation under God? And who is going to be able to implement those policies best? And so here at Stay True, I'm not going to sit here and say go vote for this person, but I will tell you here that we believe in pro life and fighting for pro life, that we believe in fighting for children and babies and for those who can't speak for themselves. We believe here in having freedom of religion and in so much more. And so it's just going to be really, really important that we make our decision as who we're voting for based off of policy and what that person is going to be able to implement to just change and bring change to our country and our nation. And so anyways guys, again, not trying to be pushy, but I am trying to encourage you guys that you play a role in your role matters and every vote counts and every vote matters. And so register, go out and vote, make sure you play a role and then and post about it.
Madison Pruitt Trout
Have have your little I voted sticker.
Lisa Bevere
And post about it, share it with other people, encourage your friends and family, make sure they're all voting and play your role in this nation. So love you guys as always. Stay, you stay true.
Madison Pruitt Trout
I love.
Stay True with Madison Prewett Troutt
Episode: Biblical Femininity in a World of Feminism: How to be a Woman of God in Today's World with Lisa Bevere
Release Date: October 21, 2024
In this transformative episode of Stay True, host Madison Prewett Troutt welcomes esteemed guest Lisa Bevere, a New York Times bestselling author, mother, grandmother, and co-leader of Messenger International alongside her husband. The conversation delves deep into the essence of biblical femininity amidst the pervasive influence of modern feminism, exploring how women of God can navigate and thrive in today's complex cultural landscape.
Madison begins by sharing her longstanding admiration for Lisa Bevere, highlighting how Lisa's book Girls with Swords inspired her first Bible study at Auburn University (00:49). Lisa reciprocates the enthusiasm, expressing joy over hearing how her work has impacted Madison's spiritual journey.
Lisa recounts her profound personal transformation from a "complete heathen" to a devout Christian. She shares a pivotal moment during her time at Purdue University, where personal turmoil led her to discover faith through a campus Bible study led by her future husband, John (03:18). This encounter not only changed her life but also set the foundation for a 42-year marriage rooted in mutual growth and spiritual alignment.
Lisa Bevere [05:47]: "I felt this warmth come into my stomach and untie all the knots that had been present there since I was 15."
Highlighting the dynamics of her marriage, Lisa emphasizes the importance of celebrating each other's strengths rather than attempting to change one another. She discusses how both she and John prioritize bringing out the best in each other, fostering a relationship where victories are shared and challenges are faced together.
Lisa Bevere [32:56]: "There are things that Grant's gonna miss. There's things I'm going to see that John's gonna miss. There's things that John sees and Grant sees that you and I would never see. And we need both of those."
The core of the discussion centers on the challenges women face today in defining their femininity within a feminist framework that often conflicts with biblical principles. Lisa articulates the tension between cultural narratives that promote women adopting traditionally male behaviors for empowerment and the biblical call for women to embrace their unique roles.
Lisa Bevere [16:15]: "We have culture sexualizing what it means to be a woman, and the church silencing the voice of its daughters. And so we've got silenced and sexualized, which creates a very narrow pathway for women to walk."
Lisa addresses the societal pressures that lead women to question their identity and purpose, often resulting in feelings of emptiness and disconnection. She critiques modern feminism's approach of empowering women by encouraging them to act like men, which inadvertently diminishes their unique strengths and leads to generational angst.
Lisa Bevere [18:08]: "Women behaving like men for the last 30 years, and now we're shocked that men are acting like women."
An intriguing segment of the conversation involves a significant dream Lisa had, symbolizing the cultural and spiritual battles women face today. In her dream, women were holding baby dragons, which represented the challenges and distortions imposed on femininity and womanhood.
Lisa Bevere [24:53]: "It was rainbow colors. You know, they're all different ones, wants, help me. And they're like, we have nothing."
Lisa connects this dream to real-world issues such as the sexualization of children and the undermining of traditional gender roles, framing it as part of a larger spiritual warfare against biblical values.
Madison and Lisa explore actionable steps for women to embrace their biblical femininity. Lisa emphasizes celebrating one's strengths without misusing them and challenging cultural lies that undermine women's roles.
Lisa Bevere [39:55]: "Strong is not wrong. God is strong and he wants you strong."
She encourages women to seek wisdom through scripture, build healthy relationships, and support men in fulfilling their God-given roles, thereby fostering harmonious and fulfilling marriages.
The discussion highlights that submission, often misconstrued in modern contexts, actually fosters deeper involvement and partnership within marriage. Lisa clarifies that submission does not equate to loss of voice but rather to co-building a relationship grounded in mutual respect and divine principles.
Lisa Bevere [52:03]: "Submission doesn't mean you lost a voice. It actually means you're actually more involved..."
Lisa offers insights into how women can resist societal pressures and reclaim their identity as women of God. She stresses the importance of rejecting cultural narratives that promote self-centeredness and embracing a God-centered identity that values purpose and relational harmony.
Lisa Bevere [56:38]: "What are you coming into agreement with that is not of the Lord? Like, what are you coming into agreement with that is alive from the pit of hell, and that is keeping you from being the woman of God..."
As the episode nears its end, Madison shifts focus to a timely political call to action, urging listeners to engage in the electoral process. She underscores the significance of voting as a way to influence cultural and national change aligned with Christian values.
Madison Prewett Troutt [59:31]: "We believe in pro-life and fighting for pro-life, that we believe in fighting for children and babies and for those who can't speak for themselves..."
Madison encourages her audience to research candidates based on policy and biblical alignment, emphasizing that every vote contributes to shaping a nation that honors God’s original design.
Embrace Biblical Femininity: Women are encouraged to honor their unique roles as defined by scripture, celebrating strengths without adopting harmful cultural narratives.
Strength in Partnership: Successful marriages are built on mutual support, celebrating each other's strengths, and fostering spiritual growth together.
Resist Cultural Pressures: Women should seek wisdom from the Bible to navigate societal challenges, rejecting narratives that undermine their identity and purpose.
Active Participation: Engaging in the political process is vital for Christians to influence national policies that reflect their values and beliefs.
Lisa Bevere [05:47]: "I experienced the love of God."
Lisa Bevere [16:15]: "We have culture sexualizing what it means to be a woman, and the church silencing the voice of its daughters."
Lisa Bevere [39:55]: "Strong is not wrong."
Lisa Bevere [52:03]: "Submission doesn't mean you lost a voice. It actually means you're actually more involved..."
Madison Prewett Troutt [59:31]: "We believe in pro-life and fighting for pro-life..."
This episode serves as a profound exploration of what it means to be a woman of God in a world dominated by contrasting feminist ideologies. Lisa Bevere's insights, grounded in personal experience and biblical truth, offer a compelling guide for women seeking to live authentically within their divine identities while fostering healthy, Christ-centered relationships.
Stay True with Madison Prewett Troutt continues to provide a safe and empowering space for listeners to grow in their faith and navigate life's complexities with truth, grace, and courage.