← Stay True with Madison Prewett Troutt
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A
Time in my life, I saw myself as a sinner in need of God's grace. And I went, oh, so he did.
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B
Die for me at like 10 years old. You're on Full House. What was it like learning who who you were as you're kind of in front of millions of people?
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A
It changed my relationship with him forever. From that day forward.
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B
Have you been put in situations where you've gotten backlash from believers, but also from the world? And how have you handled that?
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A
You need to figure out what's important to your spouse and they need to figure out what's important to you. God is going to judge you by his standard. When you die, how do you think it's going to go? And then they get a little older and then they pit you against your husband and you don't even realize it. They're little manipulative beings.
- [01:38]
B
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 someone that I am so, so excited to be on stage True podcast. She is someone that I have looked up to for a long time now. She's someone that I have watched from afar for a long and I've also gotten to be good friends with her daughter and get to go on her podcast soon. So I'm so excited. We have Candace Cameron Bure on the podcast and she is an award winning actress. She is a producer, she is a New York Times bestseller. She has her own podcast and I'm so excited to dive into the conversation today and just to spend more time together. This is our first time meeting.
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A
I know, I'm thank you for having me on it. I don't want to call myself the old lady, but I am like I'm the mom you're friends with Natasha, my daughter. And when, when younger people ask me to be a part of their, their thing and their tribe, I'm like, it makes me so happy. So thank you for having me on.
- [02:39]
B
Well, you look like you could be my age. Like, you look amazing. And I'm like, after this podcast, I'm going be asking her all of her secrets because I'm like, whatever you're doing, I need to be doing because it's just working out real good. You look amazing.
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A
Thank you.
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B
And I'm so excited to talk about all the fun things that you have coming out and just to dive in to, to just more of your story, because I honestly don't even know all of your story, even though I've watched you and grown up watching you on Full House, of course. And. And now there's Fuller House, which I actually haven't gotten to watch yet. And so now I'm like, I need to go binge it.
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A
You do.
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B
Because I, like, grew up watching so much of Full House. And so I'm so excited to just talk more about it, but I'd love to just dive into your story and hear how you even got started with acting and all the things. Because how old were you when you first started with Full House?
- [03:29]
A
I was, I started full house at 10 years old. I've been acting since I was 5, so for more than 40 years. Like my whole life. Yeah. And it was kind of just fluky in the sense that I'm born and raised in la and my mom had a friend and she had her son in the business and he was on a TV show. And my mom, her friend would always say, like, your kids are so cute. Let me give their picture to my agent and see. And my mom was like, okay, whatever. You know, none of us had, were entertainers. My parents, my dad is a. Well, he's retired, but he was a public school teacher for, wow, over 35 years. My mom was a stay at home mom, but she was just like, yeah, you can send my pick my kids picture in. And before you know it, here we are. You know, the agent said, yes, I'll, I'll try. I have three siblings, so my brother's Kirk. He's the oldest. And then I have two sisters in between us. I'm the baby. And. And she took three of us and said, we'll try you on commercials. And then my one sister was like, I don't like this. I'm out. So then my brother and I were doing it and we just started in Commercials and kept booking. And before you know it, we were both on TV shows.
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B
That is crazy. Okay, so you were. You said you were 5 years old, and then you were 10 with full house. And Full House, did it, like, blow up immediately, or did it catch traction later on? Like, how was that journey and process and then just get me into, like, what it was like at a young age, being in the spotlight?
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A
Like, yeah, so Full House, I think it premiered in 1987, before you're born. It's crazy for me, too. I'm like, how old am I? And then, yeah, the first year, it was a little rocky. We didn't know if we were gonna get picked up or not because it was just this cheesy family show that the critics panned. Like, the critics hated it. They thought it was terrible. And yet the viewers at home fell in love with this family. They fell in love with Uncle Jesse and Danny Tanner and the three girls and three guys raising three girls and just all the dynamics. So we got that season two pickup, and then the show was a top 10 network show for eight, for seven years after that, which was amazing. You know, it was incredible. And as far as being a child actor and being in the spotlight, it's definitely not the same as it is today. So I'm really glad that when I was young, it was the 80s and the 90s. Mostly the 90s, guys. Okay. Born in the late 70s. That's so weird to say you guys wear Halloween costumes of my childhood decade. Now, if no one knew who you.
- [06:29]
B
Were, though, and they just came up to you, they would for sure think you were in your 30s. And I'm not just saying that to flatter you. Like, it's actually amazing. People say that about my mom, too. They're like, are you all sisters? And I'm like, no, that's my mom.
- [06:40]
A
You just want a big tip. That's what I. When they say that when I'm with my kids. But so growing up, it was not as crazy as it is today. There's definitely things that came with the spotlight, but everything today is so much more out there with social media, with paparazzi, with how you look and having stylists and hair and makeup. And when I was even doing press as a kid, I was still going to the mall to buy an outfit to wear to a red carpet premiere, and my mom would curl my hair and, you know, things like that, which just seems so simple and basic back then, but that's truly how it was. And it's just a whole different ball game. So I would not want to grow up in the spotlight at that age today. So much more pressure. Yeah.
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B
Because I, I mean, I think about now, like, so much in Hollywood. A lot of the actresses that come out of Hollywood actors, actresses, like, just talk about how harmful growing up in the spotlight was for them. But it's so. It is so crazy and true that, like, you had, like, this beautiful experience because it was kind of before social media got crazy. Um, which I feel like, you know, social media has its pros and its cons, but it really has. I. I feel like a lot more cons, honestly. And. And it's just crazy now, like, how that has such an impact on. On people. But what was it like for you? I guess, like, growing up. I mean, you're. You're learning, like, who you are and you're, you know, coming into puberty and all of these things, like, as you're.
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A
Filming, you know, in front of millions of people. In front of millions of people, like.
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B
That really, I. I really can't even process that because, like, like my first time on TV, on reality TV, I mean, I was 23 years old. And even that was like, crazy because even that, I mean, I'm still at that point, like, I knew who I was in Christ. I was a very, like, confident in my relationship with Jesus, all those things. But still, there's so much like that you're still even learning and growing in at that point. So I can't even imagine at like 10 years old, you know, you're on Full House, what was it like, you know, learning who you were and stepping into your identity and growing as you're kind of in front of millions of people.
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A
Well, I didn't know who I was in Christ when I started Full House, so I started that show when I was 10. I gave my life to Christ when I was 12. But I would say that I wasn't fully walking in my. In my relationship with him until I was in my early 20s. But I was always a good kid. I was a really moral kid. That's how my parents raised us. And to this day, people still call me a goody two shoes. And I'm like, I'll take it, whatever. I'd rather so hate worse. I'd rather be on the side of righteousness than not. But I was really learning that when I gave my life to Christ at 12, then being on the show. And what did that look like? Because that wasn't modeled in my home. I didn't grow up in a quote Unquote, Christian household. And we were. While my mom was a believer, we all, meaning my sisters, my brother, and my dad, all became believers at different times in our life. So it's not like we were going home and we were not praying over our meals. We weren't doing Bible study together, but we were going to church together. And that was about the extent of it. And that was a great start. It really was. But I didn't know what. What modeling my life in Christ looked like, especially on Full House. It was more like listening to my mom and dad and what were good decisions. They made a lot of those decisions for me, as good parents would, and they were really protective. And those are all the reasons why I'm a woman that's still in the industry and didn't, you know, didn't make a lot of choices that other kids do. But I think that foundation wasn't there for a lot of them with their parents. Yeah, so. So it's been an interesting walk. However, even in my teen years, I've just always had a moral groundedness. I, of course, attribute that to God, but at the time, I wouldn't recognize that from saying it was God. Yeah, I would say that was more coming from my upbringing and my parents, but I was just honestly never the kid that wanted to do the risky thing, that wanted to use my body or my sexuality to get ahead, or my morality meant more to me, and my character has always meant more to me than the success of things. And I feel like that's a part of inherently me. Not because I'm trying to be the righteous person.
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B
Yeah.
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A
But I just genuinely was not that kid that wanted to do that. So it made for some of those decisions. When I would get presented a script that went against some of my own moral boundaries, I'm like, it was an easy decision to say, no, I don't want to do that, because I genuinely just didn't want to do those things.
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B
Wow. Yeah. Because I was going to ask you, like, which. The answer is yes, but I'd love to talk a little bit more too. Like, how were there often moments where you were at, like, a crossroad moment where you had to choose to, like, stay true to your values and your convictions? Even if at that point you wouldn't have said, like, okay, I'm trying to do this in a way that's like, what would Jesus do? Or maybe you were thinking that way. But whatever your. Your mindset was, what were those crossroad moments like for you? And how did you choose to, like, stay true to your convictions over. I mean, I'm sure there were so many opportunities out there that it's like, I mean, you could have done anything and everything. And it's like, I'm sure there were multiple moments where you had to keep saying, like, okay, crossroad moment. Like, what am I gonna choose?
- [12:42]
A
Yeah, so there were. There were definitely moments where I would get scripts and in it you'd read about, and, you know, the sex part of it comes into it. And I was like, I'm just not doing that. Maybe it was out of embarrassment, maybe, whatever the reason, but I'm like, nope, not going on that. And easy to say no. However, there were times of, like, you know, you look at your peers, you look at the other people that are your age, and you see what they're doing, and you see the success that they're having. So I could look at some of the other actors, and maybe at the time, it was Melissa Joan Hart, who was on Sabrina, or the people from Saved by the Bell or who's the Boss or all of these other 80 90s shows, you know, and you're like, oh, well, they're. They're posing in that magazine or taking sexier pictures. Maybe it's not Playboy, but, you know, it's kind of sexier. Is that. Is that something I should do? And, wow, they're getting a lot of attention. Is that how I'm supposed to grow up in front of America? Is that how I'm supposed to transition into an adult? And I think that's where we see a lot of that. A lot of younger stars when they do transition into that, oh, I'm 18, I'm 21. And they want to prove that they are older now and not be seen as a child. That's where those big important decisions come in. And what do you do with the opportunity? And I think, again, I would just say that if I'm being completely honest, there would be times when I would be a little bit jealous because I'm like, well, could I? Am I pretty enough to be in that magazine? Do people look at me that way? And is that. Do I want them to look at me in a sexier way than being a kid? And you kind of wrestle with those because you want to grow up and you want to be an adult. And yet, in my conscience, all I could hear was my mom and dad, but it was probably, you know, God, too. And I'm like, but I would never want my parents to see me this way. And I would think, about having kids, going, I don't. I don't think I would want my kids to see me that way. And so thinking ahead through some of those answers really helped me make those decisions.
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B
Yeah.
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A
And I've always carried great conviction in my heart, and I know that has always come from God. But again, didn't recognize it in at that age, at that time, until I really started walking with God in my 20s. But, but it's so important to listen to your. Your conscience. And it might sound like mom and dad. It might sound like a teacher, it might sound like a coach. It's just someone in your life, but there's a reason you keep hearing it.
- [15:40]
B
Absolutely. Hey, friends, it's Maddie. If you've read my new book, Dare to Be True, I would love to hear. Your reviews mean so much to me. They help more people discover the message and the heart behind this book. So if this book has encouraged you, challenged you, or reminded you to live with bold faith and honesty, would you just take a minute to leave a review? It truly makes such a difference. And if you haven't gotten my new book yet, Dare to Be True, you can go and find it anywhere books are sold. Thank you so much for being a part of this journey and for daring to be true right alongside me. Stay True Merch drop. We got a new Stay True Merch collection, you guys. And this is my favorite collection yet. I am wearing the jersey from the Stay True Merch collection. And you guys, it is so amazing. It says Stay True on the front, stay free on the back. It's got John832. It is the coolest jersey you've ever seen. But we have sweatshirts, we got T shirts. This is seriously my favorite collection yet. This is the perfect Christmas gift, birthday gift, New Year gift to yourself. You guys, you need to check out this new collection. I'm so excited about it. And you can go to stay true podcast.com or will also include the link to the exact merch landing page in the show notes. You guys gotta go and check it out. Let me know what you think. If you rep it, tag us. We want to see it. Go and check it out. You guys. I love that you're. You're talking about that too, because I think sometimes we're like, oh, is that guilt? Is that shame? But what you're referencing is like, that's conviction. That's conviction from the Holy Spirit. And listening to that is so important because I think sometimes we can bypass it. It's like, oh, no, that's probably Just like, oh, my parents don't want me to do that, or, you know, this or that. And it's like, lean into that.
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A
Is.
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B
It's way better to be safe than sorry. Because now it's like, okay, you don't have all these regrets in that way. And for those who are listening, who maybe do have regrets in those ways, you've posted things you've said yes to, things you've done, things that you now have regret in. I just love that our God can redeem all things. I love that our God can use all things and you can give that to him and it can be used for his glory and for your ability to reach other people who, who need to be encouraged in that way. And, and so, yeah, I love that encouragement of just leaning into that conviction when you feel it, because it is something that's easily overlooked. And I know, you know, maybe it's not a TV show that a lot of people are, you know, faced with, but we all are faced with those peer pressuring situations all the time.
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A
Yep.
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B
You know, even if it's just like what you post on social media to get, it's like, oh, if I post this kind of picture, I'm gonna get more likes and comments and attention. I fell into that. I've fallen into that for sure, you know, and, and that's an easy thing to fall for, but I love just bringing it back to that conviction and what matters most. So can you get me into a little bit more of what that, like, turning point was for you and your relationship with Jesus when you were like, okay, I want to make this, like, my own personal relationship. Like, maybe before I thought I was following him, but, like, now this is the moment I know, like, I want to go all in.
- [18:44]
A
Yeah. Yeah, it was, it was clear as day. I always thought that I was a really good kid and a really good person. And even though I loved Jesus and would say I'm a believer, he's my. The Lord of my life, I honestly didn't understand why Jesus died for me because I thought, well, I'm a good person, he died for sinners, but I'm not a sinner because I do a lot more good things in my life than I do bad. And I was given a book by my brother way back when I was probably 23 years old, and it was called the Way of the Master by Ray Comfort. And my brother was super nice, kind of called me out of the blue, and he was like, hey, I just read this book that really opened my eyes to Something in the gospel message. And I really hope that you would read it. I just want to send it to you. Well, I knew at this point that my brother was. I mean, he was a man of God, very much following, had been for years, and was a strong Christian voice and all of his actions. It was kind of like we watched my brother, who's. I'm like, he's my brother. He's my dorky brother. Do this 180 turn into, oh, you're a man of God, you know? And so I was like, oh, well, he's. He's telling. Encouraging me to read this book. I will. And when I read this book, it Talked all about 10 commandments in light of God's standard of goodness. And I was like, I know the ten Commandments pretty much. Have I ever told a lie? Yeah, well, who hasn't? You know? Have I always honored my mom and dad every day of my life? Well, no. Who does As a kid? Who does that? Well, I haven't killed anyone. And then you read, well, you know, those of you who have hate in your heart, who hates their brother is considered a murderer. And I was like, wait, what? And as I went through each and each and every commandment, I'm like, oh, okay, so I've broken this standard. And then understood that, well, God's gonna judge you by his standard of goodness, not the world's standard of goodness. So, Candace, you're a good person by the world standard, but. But you have failed miserably by God's standard of goodness, and God is going to judge you by his standard. When you die, how do you think it's going to go? And I was like, oh, I mean, it just. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I'm like, okay, so if I'm not a good person by God's standard, what does that mean? I'm destined to hell. This got me thinking and thinking, and I couldn't quite wrap my mind around it. And then the gospel was shared with me. But God loves you that he doesn't want you to die in your sin. That's why he paid the penalty for your sin. He came in, took all your punishment for you. I mean, you know the gospel message. But maybe, like me, you're listening and you're going, oh, I never thought of the gospel in that way. I just. I truly didn't think my sin was bad enough that God needed to save me. But God judges us all the same at the end of the day. And the Ten Commandments was simply there to show us that none of us can achieve goodness on our own. And we are saved by grace through faith. And that's it. And so for the first time in my life, I saw myself as a sinner in need of God's grace. And I went, oh, so he did die for me. I'm one of those sinners. And it just, it just, it took a long. It took more than 10 years for me to truly understand the gospel. And once I did, I had such a heart full of gratitude that God would love me so much that he would save me a sinner, that I will be with him in heaven for eternity. It's. It brings me to tears every time cuz he's so good. And it just changed. It changed my relationship with him forever from that day forward. And I was like, God, I never, I never want to not think about this. I never want to be insensitive to this. I want to feel this. And not just about a feeling, but bring conviction in my life. So I know this and understand this for every day of my life so that I would honor you and serve you and, and my purpose is for you and help me be the woman that you want me to be. Grow me, mold me, shape me into that woman. And it was. I'm telling you, it was just like the veil was taken off of my eyes and I saw clearly for the first time. And. And that's where my journey began. That's where I feel like my journey really began with Christ and just trying to live that out every day and the things that I do.
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B
Amen. But I, I mean I. You start crying. I started crying.
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A
I'm a crier.
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B
I'm not though.
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A
But that got me. But it.
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B
Because it's so true. It's like, it's. It's honestly easy to grow insensitive or forget what you've been rescued from and saved from.
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A
Yeah.
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B
And that we are truly nothing and deserving of wrath apart from Christ.
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A
Yeah.
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B
And you were, you were quoting Ephesians 2 and it's one of my favorite passages because it says in that passage I, I'm very similarly relate to you in the sense where I always felt like I was a good girl, had a good reput. Temptation. Everybody always saw me as good, was definitely not perfect, had my moments. But like overall I was, I was a good girl and so same. I never really, you know, I very much relate with. In the prodigal son story, the, the older brother who was like, oh yeah, good. Like, like, look at this rebel over here. Why Would you love him? Like, he definitely needs saving. And I'm like, God's like, oh, sweetheart, you. You got a lot of saving. You need a lot of saving too. And. And I. Yeah, I just so resonate with that because it. And it talks about in Ephesians too, like, we all are deserving of wrath, but because of his great love and mercy, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ. And that just. It gets me every time when I think about that too, because it's. It is so easy. And. And even I'll have conversations, like, my husband and I, you know, when we're in. In Ubers or wherever, and, like, we'll be trying to, like, share the gospel. And I see that common thread woven throughout so many people of just like, I'm going to be saved. I'm gonna get to heaven because I'm a good person. Like, I'm just a really good person. And I love that you were bringing it back to, like, we're not gonna be judged on the world's standard of goodness. We're gonna be judged on God's standard of goodness. And we are not good apart from Him. We are only good when we have Him. And it's like we. We are clothed in his righteousness when we choose to follow him. And. And that's just such a beautiful reminder of the gospel. So thank you for.
- [25:40]
A
You're welcome. I thought for. For years I didn't have a testimony. Same, because it's like, no, I just believe and, you know, and then you start really thinking about it and breaking it down. And even when I shared my testimony for the very first time, I didn't even. I would. I had no understanding of how relatable it would be for so many people and people that were raised up in the church too, not just unbelievers.
- [26:12]
B
Right.
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A
And so I really am grateful for that. And then, just like you said, when you do share the gospel with people, it's probably one of the number one things that I hear is like, well, I'm up. You know, I just think that as long as we're all good people, you do good, I do good, then we're good. I'll be good at the end of the day. And it's like, but. But that's not what the Bible says.
- [26:33]
B
Yeah, that is so true. Okay. I want to hear how you and your husband met. I want to hear that little love story, because I don't think I know it.
- [26:41]
A
So we were introduced at a charity hockey game in LA. I was 18. He was 20. My husband was a professional hockey player in the NHL, and he had just started playing. And I was introduced to. To him by Dave Coulier, who was. He played Joey on Full House. And it turned out that Val and his brother Pavel had come to America just a couple years earlier. He came when he was 18, and they didn't speak the language here, so he learned English by watching Full House and Married With Children. What?
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B
Wow.
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A
So we were at this charity hockey game, and Dave was like, hey, there are these two really good Russian hockey players. I'm going to introduce you. And I was like, okay. That was my first hockey game, or second hockey game, I should say. Dave took me to my very first one when I was 12 and I met Val. He asked for my phone number, and he was the first guy I ever gave my phone number to that I didn't know.
- [27:46]
B
Yeah.
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A
And he called me the next morning at 10:00am and he's like, hi, can you have lunch today? And so I said, okay, hold on. Let me call you back. And then I called Lori Loughlin, who is on Full House, and I said, will you come to lunch with me? Because I'm too scared. I'm. I don't. I've. I've never been on a date with a guy that I don't know. And I'd hardly been on any dates, to be honest, because I was working so much. And so I said, his brother's gonna come, so why don't you come, and the four of us will go have lunch? And we did. And then Lori said, well, what are you guys doing later? Candace, you should go hang out with him. She said, you and Val were so cute together. It was. The chemistry was palpable. And so, you know, like a good big sister.
- [28:29]
B
She's a good friend.
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A
She's pushing me. She's just like, val, you should pick her up. You guys should go have dinner, too. So we did. He came over and we just hung out at my house with my parents and my sisters and had pizza and. And then he left to Montreal. Cause he was playing. And we. Then he courted me on the phone for six months until I ever saw him again. Wow. And then once we saw each other, I was like, oh, I really like this guy.
- [29:00]
B
That is amazing.
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A
Like, five months later, he proposed. Oh. And so we celebrated 29 years we've been married this year.
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B
Unbelievable. He also looks so young.
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A
He does.
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B
You guys both look so young. You do not look like you have adult children. You have three kids.
- [29:16]
A
Three kids. Natasha's, the oldest, and then my youngest is 23.
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B
And Natasha just got married.
- [29:22]
A
Yes, she did. It was so great.
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B
So she looked beautiful.
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A
She did.
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B
I can't believe. And it was, like. It was, like, low key. A secret for a little bit. And then she put out all the content, and I was like, I'm living for all this content. How was. How was all of that? Were you, like, an emotional wreck being like, my baby girl is getting married, or were you just like, I'm so happy?
- [29:39]
A
No. So happy. I. We have. Both. Val and I have really raised our kids to fly, you know, That's, I think, one of the greatest joys of parenthood. I don't. I'm not kicking them out of the house, like, I love them, but to raise them into adults who make their own decisions, and that's. That's what it's all about. So I was just so happy for her. Of course. Like, it's emotional and sad to think of, like, oh, I'm giving my daughter away to another family, and she's not gonna have our name anymore.
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B
Yeah, that's great. Crazy when the last name changes.
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A
Yeah, that was. That was hard. We have a group chat, a family group chat. And then the. The morning. The next morning after the wedding, Bradley got added to the group chat, but then Natasha's name changed to Carrie in the group chat, and it was like, aw.
- [30:27]
B
You're like, I'm excited and sad all at the same time. It is really so crazy and it's so real to like, add the. We have a family group chat too, and Grant got added. I got added to the trout families to, like, chat to. But it was so. It was weird for me, like, such an identity. Not, like, crisis, but it's just like, whoa. I've been a Pruitt my whole life. Like, now all of a sudden, I'm a trout. And it was just like a whole. It was a whole thing. It was a whole adjustment for my. My family, too. I was the first one to get married, which Natasha was the second.
- [30:55]
A
Second. Yeah. Loves married.
- [30:58]
B
So sweet. I cannot wait to tell you about this coffee brand my husband Grant and I are absolutely hooked on. It's called Seven Weeks Coffee, and it is cool. Quickly become the only coffee we drink in our house. But it's not just about the taste. This coffee stands for something we deeply believe in. Seven Weeks Coffee is America's Pro life coffee company on a mission to fund the pro life movement one cup of coffee at a time. Why are they called Seven Weeks? Because at Seven weeks, a baby is the size of a coffee bean and it's the same time a heartbeat is clearly detected on an ultrasound. And as a mom, that just hits differently. They've built a business around saving lives by donating 10% of every sale to pregnancy centers and and pro life organizations nationwide. They've now raised over $1 million and saved thousands of lives. Now let me tell you about the coffee because I'm very picky about what I put into my body. It's mold free, pesticide free, shade grown and low acid and it's organically farmed. Trust me, this is the pro life coffee you'll want on Christmas morning. So go to 7weekscoffee.com and save 15 forever when you subscribe. And this holiday season, you can claim up to 4 free gifts with your order plus exclusively for my listeners. Use code Stay True for an extra 10% off your first order. That's a 25% off total savings on your first order plus up to four free gifts. Just use code Stay True at checkout. So how was for you? I've honestly like wanted to meet with you so many times and just like ask you these questions because for my own personal curiosity and advice. How were, how was like raising a family working? What was that work, home, life, balance. Like, how did you navigate all of that? And like what to say yes to, what to say no to and kind of getting your time and attention to both what you felt called to do, what God had put before you and stewarding that as well as, you know, being a wife and a mom.
- [32:55]
A
Yeah. Well, when I had the three kids and they were, and I was still, I mean, I had three kids by 25.
- [33:06]
B
Amazing.
- [33:09]
A
And Val was, Val was in the NHL. So one of us needed to be home. I didn't work from 20 until, mind you, I had a full career before 20. I had a full career from 5 to 20. Okay. And then basically from 22 to 32, I did not work in the entertainment industry. I was at home with the kids because Val was on the road half the year while he played hockey. And I'm really glad I made that decision. It was difficult to surrender that part of my life for a while because I am a very driven, entrepreneurial person. I love what I do. I enjoy it so much as far as work goes, but really needed to surrender that so that I could be there to raise my kids and be there with my husband when he was home too. Because in my business, I really am gone half the year when I film Movies. I mean, I'm just. I'm not at home for six months out of the year. So I'm glad that I took those 10 years to really focus and be home. But they weren't without struggle and finding my own identity in not having my identity in work, but now finding my identity not just in my family, but truly in Christ. That's when I really found my identity. And I'm grateful for that time because when I stayed at home with my kids when they were napping, I was like, okay, God, I want to get to know you. And I started a Bible study at my house. I would read my Bible. I would read all of the, the study Bible notes, anything I could get my hands on while my kids would sleep or when they started school. That was my time to spend with God. And so I'm so grateful for that time because it really, really molded me into the person I am today. That gave me my, my jump start. And when I eventually went back to work in my early 30s, my husband was then retired from hockey, so he was home. That was basically the balance that we had because we always, one of us wanted to be home full time. And. But I had very different eyes going back into work and in the industry because I really built my relationship with God through the past 10 years in a way that I never had before that. So now my eyes going back into work were like, yes, I love work. Yes, I would love to do these things. But it wasn't about getting another credit on my resume. Wasn't just about making money. It was about, well, what does ministry look like in the entertainment industry? How can I share the gospel with people? How can I create programming and content that is uplifting and pleasing to God? So a very different lens in which I was now looking through. And the balance is always tricky. I mean, I know that you're. I mean, you're going through that. You're, you're figuring it out, and it's going to change depending upon the age of the kids and how many kids you have and as your family grows and what your husband's doing and, and all of that. So we had great years. We had some years I wish that we could take back and do over. And, and it's a constant. It's a constant reevaluation. You really, I think year to year, you have to reevaluate what's working, what's not, how are the schedules changing, and you have to continually adapt to what's new to figure out your rhythms. And the rhythms are Going to keep changing. So having a flexibility not only in schedule, but with each other as husband and wife, because that's the first thing that's going to go. Your marriage gets put to the test because first of all, you have kids that come in and they demand all of you. And then they get a little older, and then they pit you against your husband, and you don't even realize it. They're little manipulative beings that are so stinking cute, but they're gonna. They're gonna ask you for a cookie and you're gonna tell them no. And then they're gonna go to Daddy and they're gonna go, but. But I'm having the cookie because Daddy said yes. And then you're like, why did you give that to her? I already told her no. And he's like, well, I didn't know that. And you did that. And then you guys get in a fight, and you're like, that stinking little. Little one just got us into a fight. And we love you. We love each other. This is crazy, but that's how it works. And it just gets bigger the older they get. And so finding, again, finding those rhythms and really finding time with you and your husband are going to be, regardless of career, but just in terms of children, if I could lend you some advice that would be. It is that you have to prioritize the relationship. But I'm not talking about in a superficial way of like, oh, we just have to have a date night once a week. I'm like, no, you need to figure out what's important to your spouse, and they need to figure out what's important to you. I love that book, the Five Love Languages. It's one of my favorites. That book helped me understand how valuable feels loved, which is very different from the way I feel loved. And when we went through that exercise, I was like, oh, this makes so much sense. One time, my son Lev, and he probably at the time was like 15, but I think Val and I were just kind of arguing and, you know, going through something and. And my son looks at me and he's like, mom, you. You're not giving Papa. My kids call their dad Papa. You're not giving Papa his love language. And I'm like, what? And they're like, his love language is quality time. You are not giving him the quality time that he needs. And I'm just like, but I'm. But I'm sitting here on the couch while he's watching hockey, and I don't really care about watching Hockey. But I'm sitting here on the couch.
- [39:32]
B
But I'm in the same room.
- [39:33]
A
I'm in the same room. He's like, but you're on your phone. That is not quality time with him. And so it doesn't make him feel loved. You're not filling up his tank. And I'm like, I love when I get life lessons from my kids. It's the best. It's totally the best. I'm like, thank you. A wise one. You're totally right.
- [39:54]
B
Just means you raised him one well.
- [39:56]
A
Thanks. It's coming back, but it's learning things like that and actually doing the work to spend time. And I also understand it takes to people to be open and willing to share those things. You know, there's a lot of relationships that you're like, well, you know, I'm willing to share it, but he's not willing to share it, or vice versa. So there's. There's always struggle there. But I. I tell you, I just tell you that in terms of being married for 30 years, that that's the most important relationship that you're. You're going to have, because one day your kids are going to leave, just like my kids have. I have one left at home. And then you. You have your. Your spouse, you have your husband, you have your wife, and you're like, what did. What. What did I fall in? Like, what is it that we fell in love with about each other? What are the things we have in common? Like, it all comes back around full circle, and it's beautiful. Can be beautiful. But the more intentional you are in that relationship, the better it's gonna be.
- [41:01]
B
Intentional. That's such a good word, because it really is. It's like, you can just, like, be like, yeah, we spend some time together. Yeah, we're talking. Yeah, we're in the same room. But it really is that intentionality of, like, let me thoughtfully pursue you and woo you and love you and serve you. And it's so funny because, Grant, I also have very different love languages, and I recently discovered that mine was gifts, which made me feel weird. I was like, oh, that just feels weird to say.
- [41:25]
A
That's my.
- [41:25]
B
But I'm like, no, no, I learned thoughtful.
- [41:28]
A
Like, or receiving. Receiving. Receiving. Yeah, like the thoughtful gifts.
- [41:32]
B
Like, hey, I was out, and I remembered that you love dark chocolate, so I got you some dark chocolate. Or, hey, I, I, you know, whatever. I got you a coffee. Or, you know, even if it was just like a thoughtful letter that. But I knew it took thought, and that has been huge. And then learning like Grant is words of affirmation. And I feel like that's like one of my lowest. I'm like, ah, I could care less about words of affirmation, but it's like, I just.
- [41:53]
A
And so he'll. It's.
- [41:54]
B
For the longest time, he was just, like, speaking so many words, like writing me letters and words of affirmation. I was just like, babe, I'm so grateful. I really am. And honestly, a lot of women would be so, so thankful, but it's just not my love language, and I'm still grateful. And so we've just, We've had to learn and, like, be like you're saying just intentional to let me love you the way you want to be loved. Not the way that's easy for me to love you or the way that I want to be loved and hope you just give it right back to me that way, but the way you actually like to be loved. I also would love to ask you this question because I was. I was talking with one of my mentors, Jenny Allen, the other day and was kind of going through something where people, like, took something out of context on something that I had posted, and it was going viral. There was many negative, rude comments and. And I was just talking with her and I was like, you know, I. I'm in a weird place where I don't relate to a lot of, like, Christian influencers in the space where I come from, like, TV world. And so there's like the world, the secular world that follows me, and then there's also, like, the Christian world that follows me. And she literally was like, you need to call Candace. Like, I was like, I. I do. I need to call Candace. And she was like, you need to talk with her. You guys would hit it off and. And then look at God. And now we're getting to record a podcast together. But how have you handled, like, I'm sure you've been. Maybe, I don't know, I've honestly not even seen anything. But have you been put in situations where you've gotten backlash from believers, but also from the world? And how have you handled that all the time? If it makes you feel better, I haven't seen anything. But I'm genuinely curious because it can truly be, like, the hardest place to be in. And I just want to know how you process through that and handle that.
- [43:43]
A
Oh, with a lot of patience, honestly, and grace for people, for others, it takes self control, and I pray the Holy Spirit gives me self control every day, especially in those situations, because it feels brutal. Because you can't win. You can't please both sides. You just can't. And so there has to be a point in your life where you just. Just let it go. You're like, I'm. I'm not. I'm not going to win. You remind people that lots of people hated Jesus. They're not all gonna love me. Yep. Okay. So I've had it happen so many times in. I mean, from dumb things like, oh, this is a cute trend. Real soundbite. I'm gonna do it. And it seems perfectly fine. And the entertainment audience loves it. And then all the Christians are like, how could you even do something because of that song? And I'm like, but there's. There are no bad lyrics. And what I used, I didn't. They're like, but that. But the. But the artist who sang it, you know, they're bad. They are not. You can't even play a song that they've. And I'm like, okay, I didn't. I didn't know that was a rule. Okay, got it noted.
- [45:05]
B
Thank you.
- [45:07]
A
And then you're just. I mean, really dumb stuff like that to things that are really meaningful. I mean, I've had a couple of public. I don't even know what to call them. I really don't. Feuds. Not a feud on my end, but it's just, like, weird. It's weird. And like I said, how do I handle them? I usually don't fight back in the comments because nothing really comes from it. I feel like when you fight back in the comments, it becomes defensive. It feels like. I feel like the more people defend themselves, the. The less integrity it holds. And so I let God fight my battles a lot online. I also let the other people who are genuine fans fight my battles for me too, because sometimes they come in and they're just like, yeah. They're like, she doesn't do that. That's not what she meant by that. And you're like, yeah. So I'm like, you guys can do that. But it does. It just takes that. That self control that you're like, God, I just have to let that go because I'm not going to please everybody and just help me walk my walk. That is honoring and pleasing to you as best that I can. Help me learn and discern. That's the biggest thing. I always think that. I mean, I make mistakes. Mistakes all the time. I've had plenty of mistakes. I had one that I got called out for so badly. It Became clickbait headline. And I had done a really trendy TikTok. But I used my Bible thinking like, oh, this is a cute way for me to promote the Bible. And then I guess it came off as I was like being sexy with the Bible, which was so weird to me.
- [46:57]
B
I feel like promise was not my.
- [46:58]
A
Intent, my intention, and it like upset it. And so when I saw it and then even people close to me went, yeah, it came off weird. It did. And I went, oh, okay, now it's different. If it's people that you trust that are in your circle and if it's that, that group of people go, yep, that one. You didn't hit the mark on that. Then I'm, I listen, I'm like, okay, well now I have to take this seriously. And don't be afraid to apologize. I did. In that case, I went up to my audience and I was like, hey guys, I got this one wrong. I'm sorry. Wasn't my intention. However, it's brought to my attention that, that that's how it came across. And if that's how you perceived it, then my apologies. I took it down. Not what I'm trying to promote in any way. And I just feel like honesty is always the best policy, but sometimes you, you got to do it. You got to step up and say, hey, I was wrong and admitted, you know. But I think there's discernment when you know it's legitimately coming from the people that you know love and trust versus the whole Internet, right? You're not going to please the whole Internet 100%.
- [48:11]
B
All right, you guys, when you look at the ingredient list on your current skin care products, does it look like a chemistry textbook? The beauty industry has convinced us we need complex formulas to achieve healthy skin. But what if the real secret to nourish skin was much simpler? That's why I was so interested when I found Nimi Skin Care. Nimi is doing something radical. They've built one of their most popular lines around one of the most nutrient rich bioavailable ingredients on earth. Grass fed beef tallow. Tallow is a traditional ancestral secret. Its composition is incredibly similar to our own skin's natural oils. Which means your skin actually recognizes it. It's not a chemical coating. It's real nourishment. Neeme has two products from their tallow line that you need to know about. First, your daily hydration. There's the sunshine tallow cream. This is your go to moisturizer. It's light, absorbs quickly and it doesn't leave you with that greasy feeling. They've combined that incredible grass fed tallow with soothing aloe vera and jajaba oil. It is perfect for your face and body to create a strong, resilient skin barrier against the daily grind. Then for the problem areas for the really dry cracked skin, they have the Buzzin Tallow Balm. It's an extra rich balm that uses tallow and beeswax to create a protective barrier. It locks in moisture and shields your skin from the elements, allowing it to heal. This is skin care the way it was meant to be. Simple, pure and powerfully effective. It's a focus on skin loving ingredients made right here in the USA. To order go to nemiskincare.com that's Nimi skincare.com explore their tallow line and use my code MADDIE10 at checkout to get 10 off your order. It makes me think of, I talk about this a lot on the podcast but Galatians 1:10 that says am I now trying to please people or please God? Because if I am trying to live to please people, I am not a servant of Christ. And it's, it is a very convicting verse because how often do we do things or respond in a way just to, you know, try to win someone over, try to please people. And yeah, I learned very quickly, I'm like what you're saying I'm not going to be able to please everybody. And so at the end of the day I'm gonna have to give an account to one person and that is the person that I want to please. And if he, if, if he lays it on my heart that what I did was wrong and the people like you're saying closest to me kind of call me out of it, then that's when I'm gonna really like own it, listen and, and take action in that way. But what is hard is we just live in such a time where I feel like people are putting out statements left and right, just trying to like react and please everybody and it's just like guys, come on, you're wasting, you're wasting so much energy and just like time and you can't win. It's what you're saying. You literally can't win.
- [50:53]
A
No.
- [50:54]
B
And, and, and that's just an exhausting honestly way to live. And again, people may not be in the same situation in that way, but even just like you know, you may have friends around you that are saying things about you and you're just like constantly trying to win their please them or Win their, win them over. And it's just like at the end of the day it's like, what does God think about me? Am I living my life to please him?
- [51:15]
A
Yeah.
- [51:16]
B
And, and just getting back to that place.
- [51:18]
A
Yes.
- [51:19]
B
Is the best place to live. Okay, I want to talk about some of your like, fun upcoming things that you have coming out. So you've got some fun movies coming out, which I want to talk about. You have a new devotional coming out, which I want to talk about. So first get me into one. How you. So you started doing. You, you stopped Full house and then you took a break and then you came back and was that like jumping straight back into movies, TV show? Kind of get me into that. And then where we're at today, it's.
- [51:47]
A
Kind of a cute story. When I came back into the industry at 32, I'd been gone for a while. So I called these, I called my managers. Now I kind of had a manager over all those years because they would just take calls that would say, oh, E. Entertainment or Envy. And MTV is doing like a Where are they now? Or hits of the 90s. And you know, you get, you get called to do these little shows and stuff. So they would field those calls for me. But like I truly didn't act for 10 years. But I called them up and I said, hey, can you throw my name out there again? And I want to try to start auditioning and I'm want to start. So I got this. It was my first audition back for a Hallmark movie and it was a Christmas movie and I was living in Florida. And when you're auditioning for something, you get some sides, which is a couple of pages of the script and you sit in front of a camera. And we still had the VHS tapes. Guys, it was so long ago. Or it was like that's what I had to send so they could pop it in their vcr. That's amazing. And so I had an old school camera. I put it on to record myself. But I wasn't in la. I didn't have any actor friends. So I asked Natasha, who was like 9 or 10 at the time. She was 10. I was like, natasha, you need to read this part for me. And I think that is what introduced her, I was gonna say, because now she does it. Yeah, she's been an actor since then, so. And then anyway I got, I booked the part for this Hallmark movie and that, that took off. But then I was on another show called make it or Break it. That was a. It's On Hulu now. It's kind of a fun show. And, and, and then things just started going from there. And then I went on Dancing with the Stars, and then it led me to co host the View for a couple years, and then we did Fuller House. But all in the meanwhile, I was doing a lot of Christmas movies and mystery movies. I've done over 20 mystery movies, and I mean, I've done over 50 television movies in my life. So I just came back and it, it just hit. I just was constantly working, which was, which was great. So where are we now? What were. What did you ask?
- [54:11]
B
Yeah, well, yes. No, literally, that. That's unreal. You said over 50. That's amazing. And then now to just like, where you're at today and the kind of, oh, yeah, like, how are you. How do you. You process through? You know, an idea is pitched to you or because you're also a producer too. So how do you process through? I guess one question is like, what you say yes to, and then two, on kind of like the producing side of things, does, like, just an idea come to you and then you're just like, I'm just going to sit down with some people and we kind of brainstorm together. I'd love to just even hear, like, that process.
- [54:41]
A
Well, it's both. When I, when I was doing a lot of the movies, I was then eventually executive produced those movies and just learned so much that I was like, why aren't I actually producing these movies myself? So started my company. So the last probably 30 movies I've produced in the last 15, I'm in them and I produce movies that I'm not in also. And, and formed my company. And I very much love producing more than I love acting. I love acting, but producing's always been my thing. It's putting the teams together, you know, and creating a story and the whole project from start to finish. So there's ways in which I do that if I'm going to be in it. And I know, hey, I've got two Christmas movies I'm going to do this year. I've got a couple mysteries, then I'm sitting. I have a handful of writers, I work with other teammates that I have within production, and we think of stories together. We are on the hunt for scripts. I read so many scripts all year long and basically decide what I want to do. And I mean, I start the project and then I see it through to completion from every single detail of everything. And then sometimes I have amazing meetings with people that are way More talented than me that I'm so lucky to team up with My company co produced the, the movie Unsung Hero that was out last year.
- [56:11]
B
That was so good about.
- [56:13]
A
Yeah, thank you. It was an amazing, I mean the Small Bow family has an amazing story. Joel Smallbone was amazing in the movie and as was everyone. So I have loved storytelling and that's really where my passion is. And so being able to choose what stories I'm going to tell and then help develop, develop them. I mean that's where 40 years of a career has led to because I've been in the seat of being told auditioning, here's what I have to do if I get hired.
- [56:47]
B
Yeah.
- [56:49]
A
And then I was like, no, I. I have more to offer and I can do a lot more and I want to create the projects that I want to be in or see other people shine in.
- [56:58]
B
And is your passion kind of like more secular space but have like hints of Christian values in it or like what would you say you drive in? Is it like to kind of bridge the gap between the two? Are you wanting to move more into just like faith based content? What's your heart like towards that in the TV like movie space?
- [57:19]
A
I've always been in family entertainment my whole life. That's been very intentional. And I really started moving more into faith entertainment only in the last probably five years. Because the truth is faith entertainment has just been garbage. It's just like low budget and cheap. And I'm like, I don't want to be a part of that. I want to be a part of really quality projects that families can watch together. I'm a big advocate for co viewing. It's something that I did as a kid with my parents. It's something that's lost today because of all of the streaming services, televisions, tablets, phones, YouTube. There's so many ways to watch which can be wonderful. But we don't sit down with our kids or our teenagers today anymore. Everyone's off in their own room watching what they want to watch. And there's something that's so valuable about co viewing, especially as a parent because you get to have conversations and learn lessons together. That was something. Not to bring it back to Full House, but even all of the sitcoms of the 90s, it's because we didn't have a choice. We were going to sit down together and then you could talk about what happened on those shows. And so it. My passion in family entertainment has. That's where it always lies. However, as I get older, I don't know how many days I have left. And sharing my faith and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ is so important to me. But I'm also in a position to produce elevated content and so that's where I put my energies towards. So whether it's family entertainment or faith, I would say it's both. Some of my movies just sprinkle it in there and some of them are hit you over the head with it. And I'm fine with all of the above.
- [59:12]
B
Yeah, absolutely. I love it and you do such a great job with it. Tell me about some of the ones that are coming out soon or right now.
- [59:20]
A
So these are, these are pretty faith light. I have two new Christmas movies coming out very soon and one is co starring Natasha.
- [59:29]
B
Oh, no way. I'm so excited for that.
- [59:32]
A
It's called Timeless Tidings of Joy. It airs on Great American Family Channel or Great American Pure Flicks. The streamer and I have wanted to do a Christmas movie for so long with Natasha and Christmas movies aren't really Natasha's thing. So she's always like, mom, that's your thing. I have other goals. Like I get it, baby.
- [59:56]
B
So did you start in this one with her or did you just produce?
- [59:59]
A
No, I started it with her. Yeah, it took a little convincing. But this is a story that I helped develop with two fabulous writers that I've used several times, Macy MacLaine and Taylor Calupa. And they are women about your age and just really wonderful writers. They are also producers and actors. And so I very much saw their value and was like, I will be happy to mentor and show you all the things because I know you guys are going to do great things, so I'd love to even team up with you. And then we thought of this story and I love. Okay, Christmas movies can get pretty crazy. I don't know if you're into them or not, but like the TV world, you can. Anything goes, right? As long as there's a super happy ending. It's Christmasy, it's cheerful. And I didn't want to. Natasha didn't want to do a movie with me. I didn't want to do one with her where it was just playing mom and daughter. Totally kind of boring. And so I love the time travel movies when you get to go back to some other era. So we thought of a story and I love the 40s. And so in this movie I time travel back to the 40s and I meet my grandmother as a 20 year old. And so Natasha's playing my grandmother. In the forties.
- [61:28]
B
That is wild.
- [61:28]
A
Which was really cool. And then the story just goes as I get to understand why she made the decisions that she did and what kind of woman she was growing up that then made her, you know, the woman she was in in present day. So it's really sweet. I loved working with Natasha.
- [61:47]
B
It was.
- [61:48]
A
We had the best time together. And then I have another movie called Another Sweet Christmas. It's a sequel to last year's Christmas movie, but it's in theaters November 30th through December 2nd. Okay. Fun. Yeah. Which is co starring Karen Matheson, so that one's great.
- [62:04]
B
Okay. Fun. That is so fun. So when you have an idea, you were saying, like, you had this idea of, like, time traveling. What is the process? Like, when you have an idea and you just, like. Like, did you literally just think, I love the time traveling movies? And then you just sat down and you guys just started, like, writing out a script.
- [62:22]
A
Yeah, I told. I talked to Macy and Taylor, and I'm like, here's my core idea. Which is I'm good at a core idea. Just like, here's where I want the story to go. I'm good at thinking through an arc, but I'm not a great script writer. I'm not gonna write all of the details. So I just kind of give them the idea and then let them take it away. But then as a producer, I come in and go through everything, and then I. It's very different in which you. The ways in which you look at a script. I mean, I have to look at it as an actor from the storytelling and the dialogue. But then as a producer, I have to look at it from a budget standpoint and what can we do? What fits? And then you start working the script in that way also. But I like. I love the process.
- [63:08]
B
That is so much fun. Where do you guys typically film the Christmas movies or they kind of everywhere.
- [63:13]
A
So I. I've been filming mine in Canada almost my whole life. We may. We. We may start doing a few in New York. We have to see. But I kind of have this core crew that I love that I've worked for so many years with in Canada, and. And the truth is, we just get great tax incentives there, and I get more value on the screen for my dollar than I do here in the States right now. But where. There's some. Some states that are opening up better tax brackets, tax incentives. So we might try some of those. But it's. You know, when you have your team, like, it's my A team. And I know what I'm going to get. And so there's always a risk when you try new places and new people. But. But it could also be a beautiful thing. And I won't know what I'm missing until I try it.
- [64:03]
B
I think movies and acting is like the coolest thing ever. I have not one time ever been to an acting class, but it's like always been a goal of mine. I'm like, one day just an extra, I'll just be floating around in the background. But I'm like, that is just, it's so cool. And the fact that you're like just coming up with these ideas and creating a script and then producing, I'm like, that's just so cool to me. Okay. You also have a devotional coming out or maybe at this point when this podcast airs, it's already out called Rise and Renew.
- [64:30]
A
Yes.
- [64:31]
B
Tell me a little bit about why you wrote this devotional and just what it's about.
- [64:35]
A
Yeah, it is a 30 day devotional to literally rise up each morning, spend time with God and renew your mind. Renew your mind in who God is, who he says he is, who he says you are, what his characteristics are. It really is for the person that is hurting or feels emotional pain and in whatever form that takes. Maybe you're carrying grief or shame or guilt or you're just having just a season of just bad circumstances or just it's just tough. And I know those seasons of feeling like you're in the process pit. I've talked about it on my podcast. I've dealt with depression for many years, ups and downs in my life. And I know how it feels to feel stuck in it and not be able to get out. And so this devotional is very easy to read. It's 10 minutes if you want it to be. But you can go so much deeper than that if you want to open your Bible up alongside of it. Of course, every day is filled with about five to 10 scriptures on a certain topic to help you rise and renew. And then I write a little devotional alongside that feels relatable, life applicable. And then there's a prayer section and then a think on it and act on it. I'll ask you some questions to think about and ponder. You can write your answers down and then I give you a little activity to do to act on on it. So it's just 30 days to reshape your mind and, and really take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. Especially when we are just Circling our minds and our thoughts are going into places that are. That are lies and we spin. You know, I just have been in so many seasons of that. And so this book really came out of some of those seasons.
- [66:45]
B
That's so good. I immediately think about that. Romans 12, 2 verse that says, do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. And it's crazy how naturally our mind drifts towards the pattern of this world. Our mind naturally drifts towards the things of this world, whether it be even just like the. The anxieties and the worries and the fears and the sadness and sorrows of this world. But. And so it takes that renewal and it takes that rooting yourself in scripture and in what's true. And so I love that so much. And then just rising, rising up, rising above. It is so beautiful. And so I'm so excited to go through it. I'm so excited to check it out.
- [67:27]
A
It's a beautiful devotional, too, I have to say. This is the first one that's in a hard cover. I've had several devotionals before. I love them. This is a. It's a big book. It is stunning. And I'm not that one about my books like that. But the photographs are beautiful in it. It's very California. It feels serene. It's palm trees in the ocean and cactus and desert, but beautiful pictures. And then there's like gold foil print on the COVID It's just so pretty. So I like that. To me, just to open a book that is visually beautiful is like, oh, it makes me feel peaceful. But I really hope that it's the scriptures that grab ahold of your heart and you will spend time in them and meditate on them and go for a walk and just keep repeating all of who God tells you that you are. And just know that you're not defined by your hurt. You're not defined. Defined by your pain. God is in the restoration business, and God loves to restore and heal. And God holds all of his promises to be true.
- [68:41]
B
Amen. So good. And I also love a good table talk. We have books everywhere in the studio. I'm like, I love a good aesthetic book. So I'm like, perfect. It'll just be right on my desk. So good. Well, thank you so much for coming on say True podcast. Thank you for just also opening up about your story and being vulnerable and just even the gospel message. And that's like so many good practical steps too. I'm just so grateful for this time. We've had together. And I know that everybody listening was so encouraged and inspired by your story and your message. And so thank you so much. And we will include also on this podcast all the links to all the things that we talked about for you guys to check out. The movies and her new devotional. And as always, guys, be sure to stay you stay true. We love you.