Waiting on God with DawnCheré Wilkerson

Summary

Podcast Summary: Stay True with Madison Prewett Troutt
Episode: Waiting on God with DawnCheré Wilkerson
Release Date: May 19, 2025

In this heartfelt episode of Stay True with Madison Prewett Troutt, host Madison Prewett Troutt engages in a profound conversation with DawnCheré Wilkerson, an esteemed author, speaker, and pastor. The duo delves deep into the theme of "waiting on God," exploring the challenges, purposes, and spiritual growth that accompany waiting seasons in life. This summary captures their insightful dialogue, enriched with notable quotes and actionable advice for listeners navigating their own periods of waiting.

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1. Introduction and Personal Connection

Madison opens the episode by introducing DawnCheré Wilkerson, highlighting her new book "Sleep Slow Burn," which focuses on waiting seasons. The hosts share a personal bond, reminiscing about past interactions and mutual admiration, setting a warm and authentic tone for the discussion.

Madison (01:05): "I remember the first time we got to actually hang and have just, like, good chill convo. It was such a sweet, just full circle moment."

DawnCheré (03:33): "I think for everyone watching or listening, the reminder that God tells stories over the span, not just of our lives, but over generations."

2. Defining Waiting and Its Purpose

The conversation shifts to understanding what it means to wait on God. Both hosts articulate that waiting is a universal human experience marked by longing and anticipation for something greater.

DawnCheré (12:44): "Our life is marked by a yearning and a longing that only God can fill."

Madison (09:10): "So, what is waiting? And what is the point of waiting? Like, why does God call us to wait?"

3. The Struggle with Impatience and Bitterness

Madison shares her personal struggles with impatience during her pregnancy, a relatable anecdote that underscores the emotional toll of waiting. DawnCheré emphasizes the inevitability of waiting seasons, regardless of life events like securing a job or starting a family.

DawnCheré (25:38): "You don't need something new in the wait. Jesus is enough."

Madison (05:49): "It's really hard not to grow impatient or angry with God or be like, God, what the heck, where are you?"

4. Obstacles to Effective Waiting

The hosts identify key obstacles that hinder a faithful waiting experience, including societal pressures for immediate gratification, distractions, and the temptation to seek fulfillment outside of God.

DawnCheré (35:18): "Distractions. We gotta shut out distractions. I still struggle with this."

Madison (41:33): "What are the obstacles that we have to overcome in order to wait?"

5. The Role of Scripture and Personal Relationship with God

Emphasizing the importance of grounding oneself in Scripture, DawnCheré advises listeners to engage deeply with the Bible to find strength and guidance during waiting periods.

DawnCheré (16:44): "Our framework for life, our identity, our mindset, comes from finding ourselves in the word."

Madison (28:59): "In his presence is fullness of joy."

6. Building and Sustaining Community

Both speakers highlight the significance of community support. Sharing one's struggles and waiting journey with trusted friends and family fosters mutual growth and strengthens faith.

DawnCheré (21:19): "Share it with someone. When you share your story and your journey with others, you're inviting them in, but you're also impacting their faith."

Madison (19:45): "We're all a part of the same body to lift up the same one, the same name."

7. Practicing the Presence of God

The discussion moves to cultivating a continual awareness of God's presence in daily life. DawnCheré recommends practices like prayer, journaling, and intentional moments of reflection to maintain intimacy with God during waiting.

DawnCheré (27:11): "It's practicing the presence of God as we go about our day."

Madison (28:59): "Your joy is found in being in the presence of God."

8. Transformation Through Waiting

Waiting is portrayed not as a passive experience but as a transformative process that refines character and deepens faith. Both hosts share insights on how waiting shapes individuals to better steward future blessings.

DawnCheré (30:05): "Transformation always begins from the inside out."

Madison (26:35): "How do we encourage the person that he is, the point of waiting? And how do we grow in intimacy with Jesus in the waiting seasons?"

9. Embracing Eternal Perspective

An eternal perspective is encouraged to remind listeners that waiting seasons are temporary and part of a larger divine plan. This outlook helps in maintaining hope and trust in God's timing.

DawnCheré (56:21): "Eternity reminds us of who we are. It reminds us that our citizenship is in heaven."

Madison (60:08): "They greeted their inheritance in heaven from afar. So even as I wait and you can do the same, you can greet your inheritance."

10. Practical Steps for Navigating Waiting Seasons

The episode culminates with actionable advice for listeners:

• Engage with Scripture Daily: Deepen your relationship with God through daily Bible reading and meditation.
• Foster Community: Share your waiting journey with trusted individuals who can provide support and pray with you.
• Practice Presence: Integrate moments of prayer and reflection into everyday activities, turning mundane tasks into sacred interactions.
• Journal Your Journey: Document your thoughts and prayers to create a record of God's faithfulness and your spiritual growth.
• Embrace Transformation: Focus on personal growth and character development rather than solely on the awaited outcome.

Madison (44:10): "But I'm being taught in the night. And I think the night often can represent the way when you can't see anything, but there's still an invitation to trust."

DawnCheré (45:29): "Jesus is the word made flesh. Talk to God in the middle of your day."

11. Conclusion and Prayer

The episode concludes with a heartfelt prayer, invoking God's presence, peace, and strength for listeners experiencing hardship and waiting. Madison and DawnCheré affirm the importance of staying true to one's faith and trusting in God's perfect timing.

DawnCheré (64:17): "God, we come to you as your kids, Lord, and we surrender this day to you."

Madison (66:18): "Guys, be sure to stay you stay true. We love you."

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Key Takeaways:

• Waiting as a Universal Experience: Every individual faces waiting seasons, whether in career, relationships, or personal growth.
• Centrality of Jesus: Amidst waiting, maintaining a close relationship with Jesus provides strength and purpose.
• Importance of Community: Sharing struggles with a supportive community enhances faith and resilience.
• Scripture and Presence: Regular engagement with the Bible and practicing God's presence in daily life are crucial for navigating waits.
• Transformation and Growth: Waiting seasons are opportunities for personal and spiritual development, preparing individuals for future blessings.
• Eternal Perspective: Viewing life through an eternal lens helps in maintaining hope and trust during uncertain times.

This episode serves as a compassionate guide for listeners, offering both spiritual wisdom and practical strategies to remain steadfast and faithful during periods of waiting. Madison and DawnCheré's candid and inspiring dialogue encourages embracing the journey with trust in God's unfailing love and perfect plan.

Transcript

[A]

Why does God call us to wait?

[B]

You don't need something new in the wait. Jesus is enough.

[A]

How do we grow in intimacy with Jesus in the waiting seasons?

[B]

Seasons come and go, right? But waiting marks every season of our life. So the question is, are you going to live in the wait? The center of our waiting experience in life has to be Jesus. It's worth the awkward conversations. It's worth the battle of forgiveness.

[A]

How do you not grow bitter or impatient in the waiting season?

[B]

Oh, as soon as I get the job, as soon as I meet the spouse, as soon as I have the kid, all my waiting is going to be over. No, it's not.

[A]

What are the obstacles that we have to overcome in order to wait?

[B]

Well, they dug deep before they built high. God is saying, like, if I don't change your heart, you're not going to be able to sustain and steward when your circumstance changes around you. We were up at 4am last night.

[A]

Oh, me and you both. I should have texted you.

[B]

I would have.

[A]

I'm like, literally, it was 4am it was the Holy Spirit.

[B]

He was trying to speak something crazy.

[A]

What's up, guys? Welcome back to another episode of Stay True podcast. I'm your host, Madison Pruitt Trout, here with my dear friend Dawn Cherie Wilkerson, who is an author, a speaker, pastor with her husband of Voodoo Church in Miami, Florida, which I still need to come to, please. I am so excited to come to actually. But she is the author of a new book that I actually have with me right here called Sleep Slow Burn, and it's all about the waiting seasons, which is what we're going to be talking about today. And I'm so excited. So welcome to the podcast.

[B]

Thank you for having me on. Anyone having a conversation with you, it's a treasure.

[A]

We have been talking for like 40 minutes and we're like, wait, we actually should press record and start this podcast.

[B]

Good stuff.

[A]

But we had some good combos before. And you have your new son here, right downstairs, actually. And my hosanna is only a month behind, so I think this is a little, like, situation. I'm all for the, you know, you know, like, Miami. Yeah, this could. This could work.

[B]

It's easy. Two hour flight.

[A]

This could work.

[B]

Do this.

[A]

Wait, I have to show you something. So this is crazy, you guys. I. I have been following Dantry for so long. Okay. And I was a big part of Church of the Highlands. Like, I went through Highlands College and the whole thing. And you and Rich, like, always speak at Motion Conference. I think or you at least used to.

[B]

We love motion so much.

[A]

And I found a picture. No, I'm gonna have to. I'm gonna have to put it up on the screen. For those of you who are watching, I found a picture that I took with you and rich. This was 2015. No, you have to see this.

[B]

This makes me so happy.

[A]

How crazy is that?

[B]

Look how different we look.

[A]

I look like a little baby.

[B]

We were babies.

[A]

2015. Isn't that insane? And just like, look at us now and look at life and look at God and a decade later. I mean, it's just crazy. But you. I have been listening to you and following you for so long. So this is such a sweet, just full circle moment. I'm so encouraged by you. And I remember the first time we got to, like, actually hang and have just, like, good chill convo. I think it was in California with Jen, and it was a whole bunch of people, and I just was like, man, I am so inspired and encouraged by you through, you know, messages and stuff. But it was even cooler getting to just, like, talk and hang with you in person. And the purity of your heart and the way that you love Jesus is. Is just beautiful. And I'm so encouraged by it. And so I'm so grateful that we get to have a podcast together.

[B]

I feel the same way about you. I think there's such an authentic joy that marks your life. And you're such a light, and you speak courage to people's hearts, and you're bold about your faith and the way that you live out being a wife, being a daughter, to now being a mother. It's beautiful and the world really needs it. And I can't believe. I just love how God weaves our lives together. And I think for everyone watching or listening, the reminder that God tells stories over the span, not just of our lives, but over generations. And so that picture, 10 years ago, God knew that we'd get to sit and have our coffee and talk about his faithfulness today. And I'm grateful for that.

[A]

I'm so grateful. And you guys, whoever's watching this is the first time I told her this right before. We just talked postpartum and all kinds of things right before this. This is the first time I've been able to fit into my pre pregnancy hands. And I just have to say that.

[B]

Because, you know, it's massive. I have to celebrate.

[A]

Discouraged the last few months. I'm not gonna lie. I'm like, whoa. Like, everything's different. All this extra skin. Like, what do I do with all this?

[B]

No, you have to celebrate. And it's incredible that three months in that you're able to. You know, I've got a couple jeans right now at four months that I can fit of my pants don't fit. And you just give yourself time and you enjoy the process and be kind to yourself and know that you just did something. You just partnered with God in creation. You're part of a miracle, and you have to be kind and celebrate what your body is capable of doing.

[A]

You're like, wow, how did. I'm even looking back at pregnancy pictures? And I'm like, man, I was really up to here. It's like, how did that happen? It just. It is so crazy. And when I was thinking about our conversation today, I was like, man, even in thinking about carrying my daughter for nine months, and every single day, I would just tell her, I'm like, I can't wait to hold you in my arms. I can't wait to just see you and see what you look like and spend time with you. And I was thinking about that because we're going to be talking all about waiting and how beautiful and hard the waiting seasons can be. And I know, you know, coming from my experience and just different waiting seasons of my life, like, waiting seasons have often felt like wilderness seasons.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

They felt, like, really, really hard. And it's really, really hard not to grow impatient or angry with God or be like, God, what the heck, where are you? Or throw in the towel, because it seems like everybody else is getting the miracle and everybody else is getting the promotion, and everybody else is getting. And it's like, God, what in the world? Why am I having to sit in the tension of the weight? And during this time of. Of even being pregnant and waiting for hosanna, I just. I tried to really pray for God to help me flip that mindset. And in this situation, it was a little bit easier because I was wait. I knew she was coming, and I was waiting for something that was, you know, good and. And that I hoped was going to be, you know, a healthy, strong baby girl. But it still was hard. It was like every single day, like, I just want to see you. I just want to see you. And I remember seasons of my life where, you know, I didn't know what was to come, and I didn't know what was on the other side, but I knew that he had called me to wait. Well, and it was hard to figure out how to do that. And so I'm so excited to talk about it because this is a question that I get asked from a lot of people. Like, I'm struggling in a waiting season. I don't know how to wait. Well, when will God ever show up for me? Why does it seem like it comes so much easier to everyone else? Has God forgotten about me? And I know that so many people listening, no matter if they're married, single, like, whatever season of life they're in, they're either in a waiting season or they're about to be in a waiting season. Like, it's. It's life. You never, like, stop waiting all the way.

[B]

Yeah, it's not a season. Seasons come and go.

[A]

Right.

[B]

But waiting marks every season of our life. So the question is, are you going to live in the wait? Are you going to embrace this journey? We get so focused on the destination. Like, I want to get there. But even after you get there and a season ends, you start waiting on something else. And I think all of us can relate because the scripture is full of men and women who just. They're broken. They're jacked up. They have all sorts of things that are going on in their lives. Their families are dysfunctional, and yet they decide to wait on God. And God does a miracle. They decide to trust God. They decide to surrender the broken pieces of their life. And so in the wait, the point is not that you have all the answers. The point is that you bring your questions to God and that he meets you there. And I found, through the eight years of infertility that we walked through before I had my first child, that I wouldn't take one of those days back. I wouldn't take one back because I discovered who God is. He met me. He was close to my broken heart. He bound up my wounds. And so I would say, like, for people who are wrestling with that, like, how do I wait? How do I weight? Well, community makes a difference. Yeah, the right intake makes a difference. But the foundation of your weight, if you really want the strength and the transformation that occurs in the weight, waiting on God. David says again and again when you read the psalm, he says, I'll wait on you, Lord. He was waiting on God in the palace. He's waiting on God in the pasture. He's waiting on God in the cave, wherever he was, he's waiting on God. And so I draw a lot of strength from that because the reminder is that I don't have to find something new. Yeah, I have to keep coming back morning and night to the same source. His presence. It's everything that we need.

[A]

So Good. So true. Because David, like you said, paints this beautiful picture of no matter whether I'm on the mountain or in the valley or in the desert or in the p. Like, doesn't matter where I am. Like, his presence is enough, and that is where I'm going to find what I need. And I do. I think that's such a beautiful encouragement to those listening. And I'd love to just start off by asking you, like, what. What is waiting? And what is the point of waiting? Like, why does God call us to wait? Okay, guys, I'm taking a short break from this podcast to tell you about some exciting news. My new book, Dare to be True. Stay true. Dare to be True. It just makes sense. When God laid this podcast on my heart, I actually had already started working on my next book, Dare to be True. And the whole point of this podcast and the whole point of this book is we were all designed and made for truth, and everyone in this world is searching for it. Yet so many of us are searching for the right things in all of the wrong places. And this book is all about tackling the lies that often entangle us and bind us and finding the truth that sets us free. And so in this book, we're going to be tackling all the things from sin and shame and the lies around eternity and the lies around your identity and the lies around your purpose and how to find the truth and live free. Because the reality is, it says in Proverbs 14:12 that there is a way that appears to be right, but in the end, it leads to death. There is a way that the world preaches that we should go, that we should follow, that we should conform to, that we should look like, and in the end, it leads to death. Yet what God's word says is Jesus says in John 14:6, I am the way, the truth, and the life. So he is saying, the truth you are looking for can only be found in me. I am the truth. And I'm not only the truth, I am the truth that leads to life and life abundantly. And then it says in John 8:32, when you know the truth, it's the truth that will set you free. And so if you have ever felt bound by lies, if you have ever questioned your worth, your confidence, your purpose, if you've ever wondered how you can break free from feeling weighed down, exhausted, overwhelmed, or even insecure about who you truly are and what your purpose is on this earth, this book is for you. I have often said, I just want to be free. I have looked at my husband many a times and said, I just want to be free. I'm tired of feeling weighed down. I'm tired of feeling not enough. I'm tired of being on this endless cycle of striving and performing and never feeling like I can reach what I need to reach and be who I need to be. And when I go back to the truth, when I go back to who God is and who God says I am, that is when I experience true freedom. And so this book is for you and I am so excited True crew for you to go and get your copy of Dare to Be True. You can pre order it now. I will be including the link in this episode and so you can go and pre order it. It will be coming out this fall. I'm so, so excited and I can't wait. We're going to be doing some really fun series all about some of the content in this book. But you're going to want to get your hands on it because there's some really, really fun, special pieces in this book that you can't get in this podcast. So you guys can go and pre order Dare to Be True now if you want to break free from what is breaking you.

[B]

Well, I think that word weight we.

[A]

See throughout the scriptures so much.

[B]

And we see that our life is marked by a yearning and a longing that only God can fill. But also so our life is marked by a desire and a hunger for the eternal. Scripture says that eternity has been seeded in our hearts. And so I can't even really put language to that. I don't have a vocabulary because I haven't experienced eternity. But I know it's real. And I know my heart longs for a day where there's no tears, there's no pain. I mean, that is what all of us are longing for. Every man, every woman. We are all waiting for that day. The brokenness and the darkness that is beyond words is going to be fully defeated and fully gone. And so I just think that waiting is the experience of humanity. And so if we can come to that revelation, we won't lie to ourself and think, oh, as soon as I get the job, as soon as I meet the spouse, as soon as I have the kid, all my waiting is going to be over. No, it's not. You're going to become disillusioned and dissatisfied because you got to wait on something bigger than just a spouse. I'm not saying it's not a worthy pursuit. It's beautiful when God brings someone to walk Alongside you. You should be grateful every day. What a gift. I'm not saying that it's not a worthy pursuit to have a child and start a family. Children are a blessing from God. It's wonderful. I'm just saying that the center of our waiting experience in life has to be Jesus. It has to be, Lord, I want to be led by you. I want your word to illuminate my steps. It doesn't have to be Instagram worthy. It doesn't have to be beautiful. It can be. In that absolute mess of new baby season, when you haven't slept through a night and you feel waves of emotion crash over you that you just say, God, I need your help. I'm waiting on you. I'm waiting on you on both sides of the miracle. I'm going to wait on you. And that's, like you said, a little easier when you know, okay, I'm going to carry this baby for nine months. There's going to be some pressure, there's going to be some weight. But I see the end. It's coming.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It's even harder when you can't see the end. Yeah. And I've drawn a lot of strength from being reminded of the Israelites in the wilderness after they were delivered from slavery. We find that story in the Old Testament, and Moses has led them out and God's done so much for them, and yet they start wondering as they're waiting, and they're in the wilderness for 40 years because they. They complain in the wait because they stop trusting God in the way, because they forget that they don't need something new. So they. They get other idols, they. They try other things. And it's like, you don't need something new in the weight. Jesus is enough. Stay true. Yeah, stay true. Keep holding his hand. Keep trusting him.

[A]

It's so good because it. It is so hard when you're in the waiting season. I think when you can't see what's going to come or you don't, it's God's not meeting your expectations. It's not looking the way you thought it was going to look like, or you're seeing how it's working for everybody else. God, I don't understand. I thought I was going to marry this person, and then he broke up with me. And now, you know, all of my friends are getting married. God, I thought that this journey of having children was going to be a lot easier or quicker, and all of my friends around me can get pregnant like that. God, I thought this was gonna lead to the job that I wanted. Instead, I got fired. Like, there's just those moments of like, God, I don't understand. This doesn't look the way I thought it was going to look. And I'm trying to wait. I'm trying. Like, maybe people are listening. They're like, don Tree, yes, I'm trying to wait. Well, but it can be really hard in those waiting seasons to not become cold hearted and doubtful. And so how do you not grow bitter or impatient in the waiting season and allow it to grow your faith instead of grow your doubt?

[B]

I think so much of our framework for life, our identity, our mindset, comes from finding ourselves in the word, Opening up the Bible for yourself, not just waiting for Sunday, you know, for the pastor. It's wonderful. I love what God does on Sunday, but there's so much more for you. Yeah, God wants to speak to you daily through the scriptures. People say, oh, I want to. I want a prophecy. I want a word just for me. Friends, there is a word just for you.

[A]

So good.

[B]

I remember one time a woman got upset with me in our church because she said, you, you never spoke a prophetic word over me. And I said, you know what? Every Sunday and I get to get up and speak God's word over you. And that's so much better than anything that I could declare. Like, that's the word we see. Like, you can open up the word every single day and you can get a word for you. Today I opened up just my Bible app and I was looking at it and this scripture was, you know, that we plant a seed, another waters it, but only God makes it grow. So even this book, it's like, lord, I'm just so grateful for your grace on this. I don't know how we completed a book while I had a baby. But, Lord, you did it, and this is yours. And I just want to be obedient and give it to you. Like he's telling a story and I don't know how he pulls it all together, but he does it. So I would say, like, find yourself in the word of God. It's going to feed you. It's going to satisfy you. It's going to light a fire inside you that warms you as you wait. And then I would say, like, walk in community, which you and I could talk about all day long. Because you and I are both very passionate about community. And there's all these reasons why people shrink back from community. Relationships are difficult. Yeah, it's not always pretty, it's messy. But I would just fight for it, for it. I would say it's worth the effort. It's worth the awkward conversations. It's worth the battle of forgiveness. It's so worth it. Because God shapes us in his image through community and through relationships. And it's also a battle to go, like, I'm not going to compare myself. You said it a second ago, right? Like, okay, you're running your race, I'm running mine. Sometimes we can look over and especially on Instagram, go, whoa, they're killing it. Like, why am I not doing that? Why can't I figure that out? You look and you compare. That's never been God's plan with community. His plan is that we get out of our heads and celebrate each other and go, oh, he is crushing it. Glory to God. His win is my win. And go, lord, I only want for me what you have for me. I don't want what anybody else has. I want the plan you made for me before my life began. That's what I'm going for. And so I think our mindset has so much to do with how we actually walk out our weight. I'm not going to wonder. I'm not going to go trying to find another source. I'm going to come to the word, I'm going to talk to God, and I'm going to be committed to my community.

[A]

Yeah, that's so good. Because sometimes we isolate ourselves because people are what actually makes the weight harder. Sometimes we're like, oh, these people around me have the thing that I want and God hasn't given it to me yet. So therefore I'm going to isolate myself, or therefore I'm going to be jealous or I'm going to compare. And I love what you're saying and speaking to of champion on your friends and. And cheer them on and celebrate them. Because what God has for them is not a threat to what God has for you. You're not in competition with one another. We're all a part of the same body to lift up the same one, the same name. And I think it can be so easy to be like, okay, well, you know, she's the mouth. So I want to be the mouth and she's the. The hand, and I want to be the hand. And we're all competing and it's like, but what? Like, no, God, we all have different parts and we all have different gifts and we all have a different call, and we all have a different lane. And if we're so busy trying to run other people's race, Then we're going to miss what God has for us. And I think that's even a such a good point to waiting. Because if we neglect where God currently has us here because we want to be there or we want to be where she is, we're going to miss out on the race God has called us to run. And so what would be like some practice, practical steps or some encouragement to someone who maybe is struggling with being faithful with where God has them right here because they long to be over there, or they want where, you know, someone else to be where someone else is.

[B]

Yeah. I always say while we keep God at the center of our weight, you also need to be honest with your friends and family about what you're waiting on. Yeah, that's a tender, vulnerable conversation, but it's not going to be as awkward as you think it's going to be. You're going to be filled with strength. I waited a year until I told my parents that I was walking through infertility. They're my best friends. I just didn't want to go there emotionally. I thought it was going to be too heavy. I thought I could figure it out. And then I was just going to say, hey, I'm pregnant. But a year came and I wasn't pregnant. And I just know the strength that my family brought me in a place where my weakness had run out. I think it's a beautiful facet of a community centered on faith. When a woman can walk for years believing that God is going to bring her a spouse and can be honest about it with those she loves, that she is still believing wholeheartedly, but that she's also living life to the fullest in the wait. Maybe there's a job or a business that you want to start. Don't shrink back from that. Share it with the people that love you so they can pray with you. The way that we forge friendships is not just like brunch after Sunday church. Like the way we forge real, eternal friendships is when we decide to pray together. When our relationships and our friendships are centered on trusting God and trusting his timing. And so the same people that prayed with me on one side of my infertility journey of eight years were the same people that celebrated with me. And it didn't just build my faith when God answered my prayer, it built their faith because they had skin in the game. And so I'm just telling you right now, when you share your story and your journey with others, you're inviting them in, but you're also impacting their Faith, if we had a conversation and you shared something that you're walking through now, I'm able to pray with you. I'm able to be in it with you. It's not surface level anymore. It's an understanding that we both trust the same father and that we really are family. And it's a reminder that we're not alone in our weight. So I would just say share it with someone. Don't be afraid. I was so afraid to have, like, the label of infertility girl. I didn't want that label. But I came to a place before I had the baby where God really brought healing to my heart. I wasn't afraid of that anymore. It was as if he said, don Sree, you can let others identify with your pain without allowing your pain to identify you. Like, you're my daughter. That's the identity that you'll carry.

[A]

That's so good.

[B]

But if someone else sees you as a girl that went through infertility and finds that the healing power in my presence that you found is what they find through it, what a powerful thing that we get to bring to share the hope of God. He doesn't use the winds in our life. He uses the brokenness.

[A]

Amen. Because you connect through weakness where. Where maybe, like, you're inspired through strength. It's our weaknesses where we connect, and it's our weaknesses that God uses. Because when we're weak, he says he is made strong.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

And so I love that you spoke to that. And I also love that you asked that question, like, what is it that we're waiting on? What is it that we're waiting for? Because I think so often we're frustrated because we're more concerned with getting that thought thing from God than just being with God. We're more focused on receiving the gift from God rather than being with the giver that God is. And I've been. I mean, I've been convicted of that. You know, Like, I've. I've fallen into that category of being like God. Why? Like, do you not love me as much as you love them? Do you not care about my needs? Do you not care about my desires? Because you haven't given me this thing. And he's just so kindly reminded me, and maybe even a little bit rebuked me of, I'm the gift. Like, I'm the gift. I'm the prize. You know, Like, I'm. I'm what your heart should be longing for. You know, it says, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled. When we hunger for Jesus, we're satisfied by Jesus. And so I. I'd love to go back to this idea when we were talking a little bit about David and just his life, because he represented this so well. And I want people to hear this, and I don't want them to miss this, because I do think that a lot of times when we think about waiting, when we think about waiting seasons, it's like, okay, I just got to be faithful, so then God will give me the thing. I just got to be faithful. I just got to hold out so that then God will bless it or give me the gift or, like, I'll receive the thing that I'm praying for and hoping for. And I think when we have that mindset, you guys, we totally miss the point.

[B]

Totally. We miss.

[A]

Totally miss everything. We miss him. And. And I'm preaching to myself right now. Okay. I'm preaching to myself because that's so important that we can't miss him in the process. And so how do you encourage the person that he is, the point of waiting? And how do we grow in intimacy with Jesus in the waiting seasons so that we're not so focused on what he can give us? Rather, we're so focused on just being with him.

[B]

Yeah. Just being with him. I think sometimes we think that following Jesus just comes naturally. And honestly, it's a choice, moment by moment, to follow. You know, you have to shut out the distractions, and we have to wholeheartedly pursue Jesus and his ways. And it's not feeling. It's a discipline, Discipleship, discipline. And I'm reminded of that book. I've read it so many times. I love it. It's a little book. I would recommend it to anyone called Practicing the Presence of God. It's by Brother Lawrence.

[A]

Okay, I need to read this.

[B]

It is such an encouraging book, but he talks about, like, as he would be even, like, in the kitchen cooking, that he would have conversations with God that were holy and beautiful as he's scrubbing the floor, you know, that. That he would be worshiping God. And it's an invitation for all of us that as I wait, I don't have to be at a pause. They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They'll mount up with wings like eagles. God's given me a higher view as I wait. He's allowing me to soar when physically I only have feet. It says, Isaiah says, they shall run and not grow weary. So he's given me a strength to endure as I Wait, that's good. They will walk and not faint. So if we want to know how to not miss the whole point of the wait, we've got to practice the presence of God. And that is like, it doesn't have to be pretty. It can be as you're driving, pouring out your heart to God. It can be in the coffee shop with your friend, just ending the meeting as you share what you're going through. Like, hey, can I pray with you? Let's pray. Let's pray right now. It can be in a fight with your husband when you just say, holy Spirit, I need you. Give me discernment, give me a different perspective, give me grace. Lord, if I've responded rashly, I want to be humble, I want to apologize, I want to bring peace. And it's practicing his presence as we go about our day. Not just on Sundays, not just in our small group, not yet, just when it might be like in a room that is for that purpose.

[A]

Yeah, gotta practice. And it says, I talk about this often on the podcast in Psalm 16:11, that in his presence is fullness of joy.

[B]

Isn't that beautiful?

[A]

In his presence is fullness of joy. Like, your joy isn't found in receiving the thing that you're waiting for. Your joy is found in being in the presence of God.

[B]

Preach that.

[A]

And that is a truth that if we don't receive that, believe it, and begin to live it, we're going to spend the rest of our life being constantly anxious, searching, striving, longing, like we're never going to be content and satisfied. And I love, love, love that you spoke to that. And I think another aspect of waiting, and you talk about this in your book, is the importance of who we're becoming in the weight. And I think that that is such an important point because who we're becoming is more important than what we're waiting for. And so talk to me a little bit about that and you know, what you wrote on it and what you've learned in your waiting season and how those listening can really begin to ask the Lord, okay, maybe I need to shift my mindset. It's not so much about what am I going to get out of this and what am I waiting on, but how do you want to use me right now, God? What are you trying to speak to me right now, God?

[B]

Yes, well, transformation always begins from the inside out. Often we want to see our circumstances change around us, but God wants to change your heart first. Before we had kids, we lived in a loft in Miami right near the water. And I was so disappointed one day to roll up to my apartment and see a big sign outside that they were building a huge high rise right in front of my view of the ocean. I was like, what in the world? This is such a bummer. But I watched for the next two years in amazement as they built this high rise. And the thing that really spoke to me is that I watched for a year as they didn't build one story. They dug in the dirt, they dug deep before they built high. And so it is in our lives. A lot of times we're like, God, I'm ready for you to build high. I want to see my situation change when God is saying, like, if I don't transform you, if I don't change your heart, you're not going to be able to sustain and steward when your circumstance changes around you. So I watched this apartment go up and like, the foundation took so long. They're building, they're digging, they're laying this groundwork for everything else that is going to be built. I think sometimes we think that following God is just like hopping from stone step to stone step. And each one is disconnected at a different experience. Experience a different year, a different season of our life. No, God's building a house. You are the temple of God. And he is building it layer by layer. He's establishing you. And so it's so important that we awaken to the wrestle in the wait that God, I want to wrestle this out with you. I want to bring you the broken pieces, the questions, the things that maybe won't even be answered until I see you face to face. But I'm going to keep showing up and trusting you. And Lord, as you lay a foundation in my heart, every season to come is going to build upon what you establish in my life in this waiting season. The next waiting season is going to be different. But Lord, this waiting season won't be wasted because next one's going to build on this one. So do exactly what you want to do in me. Transform me. It says he stands at the door and he knocks. Right? And that scripture is not a picture of salvation. That's a picture of following Jesus daily. That every day he stands at the door, he knocks. Are you going to let him in? Will you practice his presence? He doesn't want to drop off food like doordash. He's not like coming by at your nightly prayers and your morning word for the day. No, he wants to come in. He wants to sit at the table of your heart. We can Be in the war room, and we can just push God right out as we're making decisions, decisions. Worried, overwhelmed by anxiety. And it's like we are wrestling in our heart trying to find the answer, trying to find the next step. And we have just escorted God out of the very room that he created.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I think that that invitation today stands. Just invite him in. Let his peace. He's the prince of peace. It goes beyond understanding.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You don't have to understand it to hold it.

[A]

Wow. And I love what you said about what we're learning here will prepare us for what's to come. Because you talk about in your book the importance of or. I love what you say. You say it's not punishment, it's preparation. And I that has spoken to me so much in seasons where the waiting feels really long. And it's like, what's the point of all this? Like, what? What's the point, God? I know you know, there's some things that I'm learning, but this kind of feels like you're punishing me. It kind of feels like you're holding out on me. Kind of feels like you're teasing me a little bit. And I'm sure there's some people are listening that feel that way. And I just want to speak to that for a second. And then I want you to dive into. Because you write about it, but it's actually God's kindness. It's not his cruelty, and it's not punishment. It is preparation. He is preparing us for something. And you talk about how it's. It's the development. Like, he's developing us and he's preparing us in the weight. And we don't want to miss that because we're so angry that, you know, it. It feels like, God, what the heck? Like, it feels like cruelty. And we don't want to miss, like, what it is that he's trying to teach us and what it is that he's trying to do and what it is that we need to pick up along the way. I heard a long time ago. I don't remember who preached it, but a long time ago, how Moses in the wilderness is like, that's where he picked up the stick that he then went and took and used to go before Pharaoh and say, hey, let my people go, and that all of the miracles happened. God used this stick. But where did he pick up the stick? In the wilderness.

[B]

Powerful.

[A]

In that hidden season that was probably filled with a whole lot of waiting. I know it was filled with a whole lot of waiting. But if he had neglected that, he wouldn't have had the very thing that he needed, that God wanted to use as a conduit of miracles and his presence and to set people free. And that's so that's such a powerful reminder for all of us, because it's not God's punishment, like you said in your book, it's his preparation. And so what does it mean for God to prepare our hearts for what's to come? And how do we invite him in and let him prepare our hearts?

[B]

Well, we're all given a promise of eternity. So no matter what our circumstance, we have a promise that there will come a day when the waiting ends if we've surrendered our life to Jesus. Jesus said, God, come into my life. You're my savior. You're my Lord. Then we all have the same promise as his children, that the waiting will stop and everything that our heart longs for will be fulfilled. And I don't want to. I don't want to just skip over the fact that people are facing unimaginable circumstances. You may be listening. And a loved one has cancer or you have cancer. Cancer, you're walking through it. The diagnosis has been grim. You may be in physical pain every day. You may have been abused. You may have just walked through a divorce. Someone that you love just betrayed you. And you are reeling. And there's so many circumstances that they just don't make sense on this side of eternity. I've counseled and been at the bedside of so many as they grapple with the questions of why God. And at times, the enemy can be so cruel and can spin lies like. Well, through this death, you're supposed to learn something. God did this. No, that's not God. That's a broken world that we live in. That's a broken world that we live in. Your God adores you. He created you to live and live to the fullest. That's God's plan. That's God's will for you. But even so, in our broken world, God will not waste our brokenness. He is the redeemer. That's what he does. So while he didn't cause that pain, he'll still use it to reveal his healing power to us. Listen, not just for a season, but for the rest of our life.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I had a conversation with a friend on her 50th birthday. And, you know, she's a mentor in my life, someone that I so look up to. And I'll never forget what she said to me. She said, Dawn Cherie God has been healing me for the last 30 years and he's healed my heart in ways that I could have never dreamed. She'd been through incredible brokenness. And she said, but on my 50th birthday, I've realized that God is going to heal me until the day I see him face to face. So whether God heals you in a moment or whether you experience the totality of his healing when you see him face to face, I just want to encourage people today that every day of your life, God wants to bring a little more of his healing power. And that only happens when we welcome him in. You know, God set the boundaries for the oceans. He decided how tall the mountains would be. You can read the scriptures, it's all spelled out so beautifully. He named the day, the night. He created every single living being on this earth. But the one space he does not impede upon is our heart. Only we can open up that door. And so as you wait, open the door of your heart, it's as easy as saying, jesus, I need you today, God, I need you. Help me to focus. Help me not to be distracted. Lord, let me speak with love. Let me forgive. I chose to forgive. Yesterday I woke up again mad. Today I'm choosing again to forgive. And I'll choose again tomorrow, God, because I trust you and I want your will so good.

[A]

Because you never stop waiting. It is a daily. I love that you said, I chose to forgive and then I woke up mad. That's so true. Like the amount of times that I've had to pray the same prayers and again and again and again. And that's the reality of life.

[B]

Life.

[A]

It's a continual journey. It's a continual growing. It's a continual. We're not ever going to arrive on this side. And there will be. There are mysteries to this thing.

[B]

Mysteries.

[A]

There are mysteries to this thing. There will be things that we will not understand. Like you said on this side of eternity. And that's where faith comes in. There are just things that you won't understand and.

[B]

But God is healing you.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So even yesterday when you chose to forgive and you woke up mad again, it doesn't mean that God didn't bring healing to you yesterday. It's just that we don't see the massive leaps of growth. Because you walk with Jesus, it's like being pregnant. You didn't go from, you know, one month to nine months pregnant overnight. No, you incrementally grew where your physical sight didn't actually see the change within 24 hours, but something was still growing inside of you. It just takes time for you to see. And so God is healing you. You're just continuing to wait on him, and it continues. Experience more of his healing.

[A]

It's so true. It's. And it is. It's such a process, and. And God, from the very beginning of time, it's like he could have. He chose seven days to. To bring creation, you know, and it's like he could have done all of that in the snap of a finger. Like, he. He chose. There's a song called Seasons. I think it's by.

[B]

I love it.

[A]

Who is it? Is it Hill Song? I think it's Hill Song. And I was listening to it the other day as I was literally praying over this podcast, and it has a line in there that it says, he could have saved us in a second, but instead he sent a child. And I'm like, man, how true is that? He literally could have saved us in a second, but instead he chose to send Jesus. And you. You look all throughout the Bible and you see the story of Abraham, you see the story of Moses, you see the story of David, you see the story of Jesus. And every single. Every single one represents this beautiful waiting upon the Lord and this beautiful, like, process of, like, it takes time. It's page patience, a fruit of the spirit. I'm like, it's crazy how hard it is to. I would describe myself as an impatient person, except I shouldn't, because I have the spirit of God in me. But that is. My natural state is like, I'm impatient. I want it now. And we live in a very rushed, busy. And I think that is one of our biggest. Like, I guess a question that I would love to ask, because I think this is one of the answers, is like, what are the obstacles that we have to overcome in order to wait? Well, like, I think one being that we live in such a rushed, busy. Oh, yeah, we want it now.

[B]

Immediate gratification.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And also instead of entering into a very holy, sacred process of pondering our weight with God, of really having those holy conversations just with Him. Sometimes I do that with my journals where I pour out my heart to God. We just want to publish everything immediately. I mean, God gives us a seed. He wants it to grow into a mighty oak, and we're just, like, throwing the seed out there. Well, like, you got to give it some time. There's some things that were in my heart to do. In the summer, I found one of my journals from 20 years ago when I was in college, and I'd written down, like, my goals. I put 18 goals down for one summer. That was delusional.

[A]

Did you accomplish that?

[B]

Not the slow burn. Not the slow mo. And I laughed so hard. I found this journal the other day. And the truth is, is that 20 years later, now I'm finally doing some of the things on that list. And that's how God works.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

He doesn't work in, you know, one week, one year. No, he has a plan for your whole life. And so I would say, like, trust the process. I always know when I've spoken too soon. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It's not a good. I always know when I'm supposed to hold something because God is still working on it, you know? And so I think that's how we wait. Well, also distractions. We gotta shut out distractions. I still struggle with this. I was up in the night with my son, who's four months old now, and last night, he usually sleeps in the night, but we were up at 4am last night.

[A]

Oh, me and you both. I should have texted you.

[B]

I would've.

[A]

I'm like, literally, it was 4:00am I.

[B]

What?

[A]

I just. That's amazing, right? It was the Holy Spirit. He's trying to speak something crazy.

[B]

But so often I reach for my phone.

[A]

Yeah, totally.

[B]

I just want to pass the time, but I find that I actually take longer because he either falls asleep while he's eating or he makes a mess because I'm not looking at him, I'm looking at my phone. I'm just trying to survive. I'm miserable. I'm like, lord, I just need a distraction.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But it ends up taking longer or I miss out on those quiet moments with God. And last night, I had the decision. And so many times I reached for my phone, I was like, God, I just want to be with you. And I'm going to trust that you're going to say something to me. And I had a sweet 30 minutes. Tired. But I think we have so many other things to reach for. There's only one who will satisfy us.

[A]

So true.

[B]

It is God. It's our Creator. And so I would say we have to be ruthless about eliminating the distractions in our life. We have to decide what gets our best. Yes. And understand, in order to say yes, you've got to say a million no's. Like, you got to get really good.

[A]

I'm still learning.

[B]

I'm still learning. I'm still learning. But I'm being taught in the night. And I think the night often can represent the way when you can't see anything, but there's still an invitation to trust. So for people that feel like they're in a season where they're in the dark, you can still sow seeds in the dark. Those who sow their tears, they sow in tears. Scripture says they'll reap with shouts of joy. So even your tears can be seeds if they're surrendered to God.

[A]

Wow. So beautiful. I love that you were talking about, like, the seed, and we want to be the mighty oak, but so many of us want to bypass that season of the process of the planting, of the watering, of the time it takes to grow, of the awkwardness of, like, being that middle height where you're not fully, you know, your oak self, but you're not buried in the hidden ground either. And we want to bypass all of that and just shoot straight up. And you were hinting at this before that, too, of just the importance of the private life moments, the importance of the sacred spaces, because that is so huge when we're talking about waiting. Well, and. And just walking. Well, like walking with Jesus. Well. And so how do you, like, cultivate these private life moments? What would you encourage someone who finds themselves in a waiting season to create those sacred spaces?

[B]

Yeah, I think sometimes we think we're too busy. And, you know, it's often been said, if you're too busy for God, you're too busy. And I remind myself of that a lot. But the real revelation in my life is that I'm not too busy, actually. There's plenty of time in my day when I miss it, I'm just distracted. I fill my time with other things. There's 24 hours, you know, so if you work eight hours, if you sleep eight whole hours, which most people don't, but you should. We need sleep. Sleep is a gift from God. Even with work and with sleep, you still have a whole other eight hours. What's happening in those other eight hours? Before work, after work, of course, we're taking care of babies. We're doing different things, but there's. There's always time. We just have so many things pulling at us today in 2025 in our culture that it's easy to get swept up. It's easy to get distracted. And our time, we can invest it instead of wasting it. We can sow it instead of spending it. Our time is precious. It's not something to curse. It's not something to feel condemned by. It's something to be grateful for, Lord, you gave me this day. There's a song right now by Sons of Sunday that I'm obsessed with. It just says, you gave me one more day to say I love you. And to me, that's the heartfelt cry of someone who has a personal relationship with Jesus. Because out of everything I do in the day, before I tell my husband I love him, before I tell my kids, before I proclaim it from a stage, I want to tell God that I love him. And it's a fight that is worth fighting. And we have to reconcile. And every season, God, I want to bring you my best. And I want you, you to be just the love of my life. Yeah, the love. My grandpa. One time, my Grammy heard him praying by himself. He's in heaven now. But he said, lord, you're the darling of my heart. And there's intimacy and there's freedom and there's identity in having a personal relationship with God. And so if you don't know where to start, start where all of us do. Open up the word. Read a chapter. It's going to read you. It's going to speak to you. And if it doesn't, open it up the next day.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Create a discipline. Because that word is the living, active word of God. Jesus is the word made flesh. Talk to God in the middle of your day. Model it for your kids. I can. I know you can say the same, but riding in the car with my parents throughout the years, as a little kid, just hearing my dad say, thank you, Jesus, you know, I do the same thing. I learned it from him. God, thank you for this day. I welcome you into this day. Lord, bless the city. As I pass by the high rises, God, people in every single one of those rooms. Fill their home with your peace. Let them encounter your love. This week, like we can just take ordinary moments and remember that God is in control of all.

[A]

So true.

[B]

So I just say, if you want to have a personal relationship, but talk to God and look to His Word and find yourself in community, it will make all the difference.

[A]

Yeah, I love that. And I love that you were genuinely so brought to tears in talking about time with Jesus. And you are someone that I can tell spends time with Jesus. And it's why you can even write this book. It's why God has entrusted you to pastor a church and to shepherd a flock, because he's your biggest priority. He's your favorite thing.

[B]

Well, you know, there are a lot of days that I miss it, so I just want people to be encouraged because the enemy tries to condemn us, always tries to make us measure ourself up on what we've done, making us think that that makes us valuable to God. We're valuable to God because He sent His Son. You know, Jesus did it so we can rest in that. And that doesn't make us want to take our grace for granted like Paul taught us. No, it makes us want to treasure it and follow Jesus and pursue him daily all the more so we're all a work in progress. It's not about perfection. I've lived too many seasons of my life trying to be a perfectionist.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Being so down on myself. But, you know, I just hit 40. I'm finally coming to a place where I just realized what a. That's not the way that God sees me. He sees me as his daughter. The more I can see him looking at me with eyes of love, the more I'm empowered to pursue him wholeheartedly.

[A]

That's so good and so true. Because even in our relationships with one another and our relationships with our spouse, for example, it's like, I'm never going to be perfect. I'm not gonna wake up perfect every day. And God is perfect, but because we aren't, it's like he's not accepting, expecting us to be perfect. He just wants us to seek Him. He wants us to wholeheartedly devote ourselves to him and to desire Him. Yeah, it's a desire. It's. And when. And what's crazy is when you delight in him and when you desire him in the waiting seasons. What's wild is those waiting seasons feel less like wasted seasons, and they begin to be. Be so filled with. With the wonder and with the enjoyment and with the pleasure and with. Because you're finding him, because you're spending time with Him. And I look back now, truly, I look back now, and this is a crazy statement, but, like, now in having some of the very things. You were talking about this in your journal. And I do the same thing as I've written. So I. I love, like, journaling and keeping my old journals and then going back through them because I'm like, whoa. Like, all the things that have happened, and I love going back through them and reading them because I'm like, I was so hungry and desperate for Jesus, and He was the only thing on my mind. And I can even find myself now walking in the very things that I prayed for and in the very ways that he has delivered me and healed me and. And given me the things that I've asked of him, which I'm so grateful for. But I can find myself in this season wishing I was back in the waiting season.

[B]

I know that feeling like, same feeling as I read my journals. I look back and I realized that that was holy ground. On Cherie, you encountered the wonder of God. The grace of God was revealed to you. You were so desperate, you feel like you're back. That's why I think writing down your story is so holy. It's your story. After your life is gone, your faith is going to remain. It's like a fragrance. It's like the fragrance of Christ. God is not a God of just your life. He's the God of generations. Your faith is making a difference. But I felt that, that hunger.

[A]

There's such a desperation in. In those moments, and I just. And so if you find yourself, like, in the waiting right now, I just want to encourage you, like, let that bring you to your knees and create a hunger and a desperation because what a beautiful, beautiful place to be. And I'm not saying that it's not hard. You mentioned this. Like, there. There are going to be some people who are listening that are walking through some really, really, really, really hard things.

[B]

Things.

[A]

Yet in the midst of our brokenness, there is a good Father, there is a good God, and we get to hit our knees and we get to enter his presence, and we get to just be with him. And what a gift that is. And so no matter where you're at, I do want to encourage you. Like, just find yourself on your knees, delighting in him and drawing near to Him. And even if you don't see it in fullness now, begin to journal it, because I promise you, you will look back and be like, wow. Even though that season was the hardest season ever, I experienced and encountered Jesus in such miraculous ways that I. I almost miss it. I almost, like, want that back again.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And you even talk about in your book. I forget exactly how you worded it, but just that the hardest seasons bring about holiness. Like, the hardest leads to holiness. And that is so true. The hard. The hard things create holy hearts.

[B]

Like, truly, it purifies our pursuit, right? So it purifies us. It makes us more like Jesus. David was a man after God's own heart. David was not perfect. We know that. So like you said, the pursuit is not to be perfect. It's to pursue the One who is to pursue God. And so we have this invitation to become more like him in the wait. And I love what you know. It's beautiful when you have a conversation. And then when you have next steps, you're giving such powerful next steps for everyone. Because write it down. Those journal pages, they're memorial stones for both of us. I love the old. It's an old saying that the faintest pen is more powerful than the strongest memory, because our memories, they can morph, they can change, and we forget a lot. And the things we remember sometimes can become distorted over time. It's been proven. But when you write down while you're in the season, you can reflect and you can come back to that memorial stone again and again. And it's an altar of praise and thanks, and it brings you to your knees as you say, God, you did it back then. I want to desire you today just like I did then.

[A]

It's so true. I love that. And it talks about that. I was actually reading in Habakkuk earlier and how it was saying, write down the vision. Like, write it down and wait patiently. It literally says, wait, wait patiently, and in due time, like, he will. He will bring it about. He will finish what he starts. It says in Philippians 1:6, like, what God starts, he will finish the finished work. We don't. We don't always know. It may not look exactly like what we imagine it to look like, and it may be a completion that we see one day in heaven. But that's the beautiful thing is when you're talking about our end goal is to be face to face with Jesus one day and to hear the words, good job, my good and faithful service, you know, that's what we're yearning for and longing for. Because like you mentioned, God put eternity on all of our hearts. It's written on our hearts. And so there are some things that you're waiting for that you think you're going to find a happiness or a satisfaction in. And it may bring a little bit of that, but you're not going to be ultimately satisfied. One, never apart from Jesus. But two, even a little bit of you is going to continually be longing for more because our hearts were set for eternity. We're made for eternity. And what would be your encouragement of how do we maximize and live a life worthy of the calling God has given us here on this earth? And be present and be faithful while keeping our eyes on eternity, knowing that he's coming back.

[B]

Yeah, I love. I'm gonna. I'm gonna butcher it. But C.S. lewis said something like, the people who made the most impact in this life are the ones who thought of the next the most. And so eternity doesn't make our life stagnant. Eternity reminds us of who we are. It reminds us that our of sense citizenship is in heaven. Our Father is in heaven. Our Savior is in heaven. Our treasure is in heaven. Our eternal family is in heaven. We got a lot waiting for us. And I don't know exactly what it looks like. There's some beautiful pictures throughout Scripture, but, man, I can't wait to walk in the reality of eternity. There will be a new earth. God's going to do so much in our lives. And when we have a longing for that, it lets us bypass all the fake invitations of the world. It lets us know, oh, I really am a pilgrim. I really am walking through this life. I really am just on a journey through this life to where I actually belong. My grandfather used to when. When life was hard, he was a church planter. But they walked through years of poverty. When my dad was born, My grandmother was 16 years old. They didn't own a home. They. Everything they owned was in their car. And they'd go from church to church preaching the gospel. And then they. They decided to stay in Shreveport, Louisiana. So now there's been three generations there. But when my grandpa, who's in heaven, used to get overwhelmed, he would run to his piano in his living room and he would start to play. It's just about time for me to lay down my cross and go home. Because when life overwhelms you, remember that this isn't the end of the story. So I think that the way that we find purpose in the way is that we keep trusting God, we keep staying true, we keep coming back day after day and saying, God, I surrender my little. And trust that even though I might not see everything change around me, you're telling an eternal story. And I don't know how you'll use the seeds of my obedience today. But, Lord, I don't have to see it in this life to know that you're working. Hebrews tells us that the matriarchs and the patriarchs of our faith, that they greeted their inheritance from afar. For me, that was all I needed to read in the wait, because it just leapt off the page and it straightened to my heart. I went, oh. They died still believing. The promises of God didn't come to fruition in their single lifetime. They were still believing when they died for things that God spoke to them. And they greeted their inheritance in heaven from afar. So even as I wait and you can do the same, you can greet your inheritance. Lord, I know where I'm going. I see it through the eyes of faith. I don't see it around this broken, heartbreaking world that we live in. But, God, I know in my heart, I can see it ahead. I'm gonna be with you one day.

[A]

Such a beautiful reminder of the heroes of faith that we talk about so often. And we want to be like, yes. Yet when we read, we're like, wait, I want to be like them, but I want to. I want to receive what, you know, like I'm hoping for. I want to receive the things. And I think it is such a beautiful reminder of, like, the things that. And you read that in Hebrews 11 as. It's talking about the things that they went through. Ironically, I was reading it this morning too, and as I was preparing for this, and it was talking about, you know, they were. They were whipped. They were. They were stoned, they were flogged, they were imprisoned. They were. It goes through all of these things that they walked through, and. And it talks about how they didn't receive the things that they had hoped for. And it also says the world was not worthy.

[B]

Come on.

[A]

The world was not worthy of them. And it wasn't because the world was not worthy of them. Because they were this prosperous, successful on a stage, got everything they wanted. All of their dreams came to pass. They were faithful. They were faithful. Their eyes were on eternity. Like you said, they were pilgrims. They were foreigners. They knew, this is not home. I'm waiting for my reward in heaven. And that's how you wait. Well, here on this earth is. You know, that true reward is in heaven. Your true reward is with your Father. Your true reward is in the. The rewards and the crowns that he wants to bestow upon you. And then even in that, it says in Revelation, we're gonna. We're gonna throw our crowns at his feet. Like, how beautiful. That'll make me want to cry. Cuz how beautiful is that? That? It's like even in the rewards that he gives us for all of our labor, for all of our work here, he's still the greatest reward.

[B]

Like, he's the greatest rich. And I were talking about that this week, throwing our crowns at his feet. And it just brings you back to the revelation that my identity is a daughter of God. It's nothing I do on this earth. It's what he did for me, and I accepted him in my life when I was a little girl. And he's proven faithful in every season. And so I didn't have to go out searching for a title. I already got it. I got it. When I was five, I didn't need a degree. All those things are beautiful. God created us to work. He created us to pour our days and invest and grow in the capabilities that he's entrusted to us. But that doesn't impact my identity. That's about giving him more glory. But my identity is secure because I'm his daughter.

[A]

So true. So good. I am so encouraged by this conversation. And I hope that as you guys listened, you heard and felt just the presence of the Lord with so much hope, with so much faith that in your waiting season, what you're waiting for is worth it. Because he's worth it and he is the true reward that we are all living and working toward and, and desiring. And so in the midst of that, the practicals that you talked about in your book and that we talked about in this conversation, just to remind some of you, you talked about the importance of community, like, don't wait alone. You talked about the importance of diving into your word. You know, let. Let the Lord encourage you. Let His Word strengthen you. In this season. You talked about, you know, like, practicing the presence, like, even when you're in the car, when you're washing dishes, in the mundane, in the things that it's like, okay, God, I'm ready for, like, cool. The cool, awesome stuff, you know, like, where's my big opportunity? It's like, practice his presence in the everyday moments. And I love that so much. There were so many good practicals, and I've been so encouraged by this conversation. And, and for those of you listening, I'm going to include the link to Slow Burn. And I'm so encouraged by this book. And I, I believe this is a book that is so important to read honestly, over and over again. Because again, you don't just go through one waiting season. You talk about this in the book, but how waiting is something. It's a lifetime experience. Like, we're always. We're always going to be waiting because like we talked about, about, we're waiting to one day be face to face with Jesus. Like our hearts are groaning and longing. It talks about in Romans 8, to one day be experiencing the fullness of his glory.

[B]

Beautiful.

[A]

And I am so encouraged that you waited well and that you wait well and by you. And I'm so encouraged by you all. I mean, truly, it's, it's amazing. And so I'm gonna include this link to her book and her Instagram and all the things so you guys can go and, and check out Don Cherie. And I just Am so grateful for this friendship and stay true is better because of you and because of you coming on. So thank you so much.

[B]

Oh, we love you. Keep shining. The love of Jesus. It's beautiful to see.

[A]

It's beautiful to see. And you guys. And I'd love for you to just close us in prayer for those who are really feeling hopeless and struggling right now or confused, whatever it is that the emotions that they're feeling, I'd love for you to just pray over them.

[B]

Beautiful. Let's pray. God, I just pray right now for my friends, Lord, I pray that wherever they are right now that you would fill their hearts with hope that you're not done writing their story. Lord, I pray for hearts to be healed, God, that as we open up our hearts to you, Lord, that you come in, Lord, that you sit at the table of our heart and we can have honest conversations with you. God, I thank you that you don't abandon your kids, that you aren't looking somewhere else, distracted, but your eyes are on your children right now. You see everything that is going on in their lives in their mind, God, the conversations in their house, Lord, the worries that plague their mind at night. Lord, I just pray right now for the peace of God that goes beyond all understanding to guard their hearts and their minds together. Lord, we choose to wait on and God, I speak the promise of God that those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They'll mount up with wings like eagles. There's more for you to see. There's more for you to experience in the grace of God. And Lord, we know that we will run and not grow weary. God, we know that we will walk and not faint. And so we come to you as your kids, Lord, and we surrender this day to you. We just give you what we have. It may seem small, but we put it on the altar, God. We put it, Lord, on that heat source, the fire of your spirit and God, we're going to watch it transform. We trust you. We love you. Thank you for this moment in your presence. Amen. Amen.

[A]

Thank you so much. I feel ready to go and wait. Well, I mean, anybody else? Are you with me? Oh, man, I'm so encouraged by you. And we love you guys as always. Guys, be. Be sure to stay you stay true. We love you.

[C]

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