Ep 1172 | Jase's Son & Daughter-in-Law Share Baby News Alongside a Story of Loss & Hope

Summary

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Unashamed with the Robertson Family – Ep 1172

“Jase's Son & Daughter-in-Law Share Baby News Alongside a Story of Loss & Hope”
Release Date: September 24, 2025

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Overview

This heartfelt episode of Unashamed centers on family, faith, and resilience through both celebration and deep loss. Host Alan, joined by Zach and Jason, welcome Alan’s son Reed and daughter-in-law Brighton for Brighton’s first-ever podcast appearance. The conversation unfolds over topics of parenting, spiritual growth, suffering, and how finding community and a renewed relationship with God transformed their journey. The biggest moment: Brighton and Reed announce they’re expecting their fourth child, soon leading to vulnerable stories of grief, hope, and God’s faithfulness.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Announcing Baby Number Four & Parenting Reflections

(04:07 – 06:37)

• Brighton’s Pregnancy Announcement: Brighton shares she is 11 weeks pregnant with their fourth child, confirming their “baby factory” is in full swing.
  • Brighton: “Yeah, we have a three-and-a-half-year-old, two-and-a-half, a 13-month old, and then I’m pregnant with our fourth.” (04:07)
• Parenting the Young Bunch: The family proudly reflect on the good behavior of their children during a recent, long, high-end family dinner.
  • Alan: “They were 3, 2, and 1. They sat there...No one noticed they were even there...” (12:36)
• Lesson: Their parenting approach is rooted in discipline, respect, and intentional, gospel-driven guidance—contrasted humorously and pointedly with current cultural trends of unrestrained child behavior.

2. The Impact of Community & Becoming Better Together

(02:15 – 03:45, 14:13 – 16:29)

• How Brighton “Sanctifies” Reed: Both families affirm that marriage has refined them, making them “better human beings.”
  • Alan: “Something just incredible happened when you met this woman beside you. You just became a better human being.” (03:18)
  • Brighton: “We both sanctify each other a lot.” (03:46)
• Brighton’s Testimony: Her faith was reignited after beginning to listen to 'Unashamed' during a challenging season of solo parenting.
  • Brighton: “I just never heard anyone teach the Bible in this way...since I started listening to Unashamed, I’ve had that thrill about the word of God. And it completely changes the way that I mother and parent every day...” (15:04)
• Valuing Biblical Community: Both Brighton and Reed describe years of loneliness after moving to Nashville—before their accidental introduction to a life-giving, discipling church that changed everything.
  • Jason: “I mean, we searched for community for, I mean, years…We just couldn’t find a church.” (20:47)
  • Brighton: “…I see the Lord’s kindness in us marrying young. We really grew up together...” (20:06)
• Lesson: Don’t stop seeking community—God’s timing and provision surprise us in pivotal moments.

3. Journey Through Grief: Story of Loss and God’s Presence

(21:59 – 32:16, 32:16 – 35:44)

• Losing a Parent: Brighton’s father is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and passes away during her first year of marriage; this prompts a prolonged “spiritually dry season.”
  • Brighton: “After my dad...I didn’t believe that God was good.” (24:49)
• Losing Her Nieces and Nephew: Nearly two years later, Brighton’s brother’s children are in a tragic car crash—two are lost, one survives, and Brighton and Reed race to Louisiana to care for their devastated family.
  • Brighton: “I get a call...my niece and nephew...had died in a car accident...you can’t even wrap your head around what that would be like as a parent.” (31:25)
• The Power of Supporting Others: Reed and Brighton drop everything to physically and emotionally care for family, sleeping and comforting, providing nursing care, and bearing one another’s burdens.
  • Brighton: “Maybe this is the only reason God made me a nurse: was just for this week.” (35:08)
• Supernatural Strength and the Role of Faith: Brighton is asked—or volunteers—to speak at the children’s funeral, a feat everyone warned against, but she experiences God’s supernatural peace.
  • Alan (about Brighton’s funeral speech): “That was one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen. I was super proud of you...God uses people.” (43:04)
  • Brighton: “It was an out of body experience, which I think was totally the Holy Spirit...” (43:06)
• On Suffering and Community: Their testimony highlights the critical role of church family and friends—old and new—rallying to offer practical and spiritual support during unfathomable tragedy.
  • Jason: “It really showed the importance of community...if you feel like you don’t have a community, do whatever you got to do to go out and find one.” (39:04)

4. Motherhood Reframed: Surrendering Control and Focusing on the Heart

(47:44 – 51:54, 53:17 – 54:52)

• Letting Go and Trusting God: In the shadow of tragedy, Brighton learns to surrender control of her children, seeking to shape their hearts, not just their outward behavior.
  • Brighton (quoting her sister-in-law): “I did everything right...but I still couldn’t control any of it. Ultimately, they’re the Lord’s. And that changed so much of the way that I parent because...I’m just not as worried about those things I can't control...” (47:44)
• Gospel-Driven, Intentional Parenting: She and Reed emphasize shepherding their children’s hearts toward Christ, not just producing well-mannered children for appearances.
  • Brighton: “…I want to go after their heart...our goal here is to shepherd their heart and to point them to Jesus...” (49:17)
• Ephesians 6 and Parenting with Grace: The family discusses the biblical balance: discipline without exasperation, aiming for children who know how to be “sons or daughters of the Almighty.”
  • Zach: “You walk that line...you want to teach them how to be a son or daughter of the Almighty, because then they'll be able to be ready for whatever happens.” (50:12)

5. Breaking Distraction & Cultivating a Spiritual Life

(53:17 – 55:54)

• Escaping Distraction: Brighton describes the trap of constant phone and social media use, which brings comparison, dissatisfaction, and numbs real life.
  • Brighton: “The enemy...the best thing he can do is keep us distracted. I was spending a lot of time on my phone, a lot of time just...comparing myself and just being so distracted every day.” (53:17)
• Transformative Discipline: Now, she intentionally immerses in Scripture, especially during her children’s naptime (a daily “three hours” in the Word), and encourages other moms to do the same.
  • Brighton: “Now...during nap time...I only read my Bible now. I try not even to pick up my phone...It will change your life.” (54:34)
• Lesson: True satisfaction is found in God alone, not the endless scroll of comparison.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Marriage and Growth
  • Alan: “Something just incredible happened when you met this woman...You just became a better human being.” (03:18)
• On the Gospel’s Thrill
  • Brighton: “May we never lose the thrill of the gospel like Phil had...since I started listening to Unashamed, I’ve had that thrill about the word of God.” (15:04)
• On Parenting with Perspective
  • Brighton (quoting Casey): “I did everything right...But I still couldn’t control any of it. Ultimately, they’re the Lord’s.” (47:44)
• On Community
  • Jason: “If you feel like you don’t have a community, do whatever you got to do to go out and find one.” (39:04)
• On Suffering and Faith
  • Alan (referencing C.S. Lewis): “God whispers in our pleasures, but in our pain, he uses a megaphone to awaken a deaf world.” (41:32)
• On Breaking Distraction
  • Brighton: “The enemy...best thing he can do is keep us distracted...the only thing that can satisfy us is the Lord, truly.” (53:17)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• (01:42) — Brighton’s first time on a podcast; banter about family and being in Nashville
• (04:07) — Pregnancy announcement: “I’m 11 weeks.”
• (13:06) — Parenting strategies in public; behavioral success stories and French fries
• (15:04) — Brighton shares how 'Unashamed' reignited her faith
• (20:06 – 22:59) — Grieving her father’s illness and passing
• (32:16 – 35:44) — Loss of niece and nephew, practical support, community in crisis
• (43:06) — Speaking at the funeral, the reality of God’s strength
• (47:44) — “I did everything right...ultimately they’re the Lord’s.” Motherhood and releasing control
• (53:17) — Battling distraction and finding fulfillment in scripture over social media

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Episode Tone & Style

The conversation is candid, vulnerable, and warm. The Robertsons and their guests use everyday, relatable language, peppered with humor, gentle teasing, and frequent references to their Louisiana roots. Biblical language and spiritual discussion is authentic, non-preachy, and rooted in lived experience. The atmosphere feels like a family table—a place where faith, hurt, hope, and love are all brought out into the open.

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Closing Impression

This episode stands out as an intimate and brave conversation on what it means to build a Christ-centered family in the midst of joy, suffering, and transformation. Brighton and Reed’s story offers hope and practical inspiration—finding the thrill of the gospel anew, seeking authentic community, and learning to point children to Jesus in a world full of chaos and comparison. For listeners, especially parents and young families, this installment resonates as both an encouragement and a call to intentional living, faith, and perseverance.

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Transcript

[Jason]

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[Alan]

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[Commercial Announcer 1]

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[Alan]

I am unashamed. What about you?

[Zach]

So welcome back to Unashamed.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

Jace goes, we got to get started. And then he continues into the conversation.

[Alan]

I wanted to make my last point.

[Zach]

He had to get the last word in. Then it's like, now we got to get this thing going.

[Alan]

What are we doing here, Al?

[Zach]

We're in Nashville.

[Alan]

We're in Nashville without headphones. I just realized that.

[Zach]

Yeah, I feel like a fish out of water here, Jason. I'm not gonna lie. And Zach, nice job on the studio. You know, I was tortured here when I worked for the mob.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

It does feel like.

[Zach]

Yeah, it's like I'm back after all these years.

[Alan]

We're in a back room deep in Nashville. And we brought guests. We did bring guests who are actually from Nashville.

[Zach]

Introduce our guests.

[Alan]

So I have my son Reed and his wife, Brighton. Brighton, I didn't realize this until recently. This is your first time to be on a podcast?

[Brighton]

Yeah, my first time ever on any podcast. Yeah.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

Really?

[Zach]

And you're a listener, right? You listen?

[Brighton]

Yeah, I'm the number one listener.

[Alan]

I have referenced you many times on the podcast. You've elevated yourself. I don't know if you know this. It's gonna be a little awkward. To one of my favorite humans on the earth.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

He loves you more than he loves Reed.

[Alan]

Yeah.

[Jason]

All she had to do is listen.

[Zach]

To his podcast, feed that ego.

[Brighton]

I was already on my way there.

[Zach]

He does it so well now.

[Alan]

Reed, it started when. Because. And I'm going to confess that, you know, parenting is hard. And you were our firstborn and I had a lot of baggage that had infiltrated my system. I'm already making excuses here from my loving dad. And I just. I think the firstborn, I mean, there's a reason. I think it singled out in the Bible.

[Zach]

You'Re supposed to get 2/3 of the inheritance. Reed, by the way, just so you know, it's also in the Bible, but it didn't happen to me, so it may not happen for you.

[Alan]

I'm confessing my sins here. So I was saying, despite all that, you know, I was. Because Reed was pretty much a live wire. And I think that does come with being the firstborn. Can we agree with that?

[Commercial Announcer 2]

I think so.

[Alan]

But something just incredible happened when you met this woman who's beside you. You just became a better human being.

[Jason]

I agree with that.

[Alan]

So. So that was. That was where I first fell in love with you, Brighton. Because I thought there's something about this woman that is making our son a better human being. And Missy was on board with that. So that. That's a true statement. Would you agree with that?

[Jason]

I agree.

[Brighton]

Yeah. Yeah. I would say we both sanctify each other a lot. Yeah.

[Zach]

And. And they had your grandchildren. That's. That's a big deal.

[Alan]

That's a big deal.

[Zach]

I mean, that's. That becomes the most important deal, really, after a while.

[Alan]

At some point in their relationship, a baby factory began. And so how many are we up to now?

[Zach]

Tell the audience.

[Brighton]

Yeah, we have a three and a half year old, two and a half, a 13 month old, and then I'm pregnant with our fourth.

[Zach]

So this is real.

[Alan]

That's breaking news. I don't think I knew that.

[Brighton]

Yeah. Yeah. I'm 11 weeks. So pretty. Yeah. So we're just rolling?

[Alan]

Yeah, we're rolling. We're kind of in a food coma today. I do have to say that because last night we had a birthday celebration. We celebrated Brighton's birthday. Happy birthday again.

[Brighton]

Yeah, thank you.

[Alan]

We celebrated Mia's birthday, which was a couple weeks ago, but she's in Nashville, so we hadn't officially done that. And then Cole's fiance, it's her birthday. So we gathered at a restaurant that was quite expensive. Reed picked it since I was buying.

[Jason]

Actually, I did not. Mom just booked it. And I told Dad, I said, okay, yeah, this restaurant is two things. It is the most expensive dinner I've ever paid for when I ate here. And it is. Which was. Which is funny because it was actually for my birthday a few months ago. And it was like Brighton's like, let's go to this restaurant.

[Alan]

It's awesome.

[Jason]

So then I'm sitting there like, happy birthday to me. I gotta pay $600 for dinner.

[Zach]

That's great.

[Jason]

But I said it was also the best meal I've ever had.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

Where was it?

[Jason]

It's bourbon steak.

[Alan]

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. But what I didn't like about it, Michael, Mina. It was. Oh, it was fantastic. And. But it's like you have to get on an elevator and go 34 stories up to eat at this restaurant. I'm kind of claustrophobic, and I never looked out a window, but.

[Zach]

So it's like a view of the city, kind of elevator, like. Oh, yeah.

[Alan]

I looked straight down. Not that I'm scared of dying. It's just when I get way high, I feel weird. I don't like that feeling. But it was fantastic. And so I couldn't be more full at the end. They were like, how about desserts? And I was like, no, I think we're good. But they're like, well, we. You know, just at least take a look at the menu. And they had. We all said the same thing. Their first choice was warm beignets. I mean, we're from Louisiana, and the food was so spectacular. I thought, you're actually going to try to reproduce the beignets of Louisiana. I was like, send us some of those. They were fantastic. And I just couldn't stop at one. And that's why it all got weird as far as too much food consumed. But it was. I thought it was a great. It was a great evening together.

[Jason]

So then we all got back in the elevator, and there was. It was our whole. Whole group with our kids and everything. And then there was like three other couples and then some other people. I mean, we were slammed in this elevator, like, shoulder to shoulder, and dad starts talking, and he's like, oh, we're fixing to find out what everybody had to eat.

[Alan]

You know, I did your mom.

[Brighton]

Yeah, that was uncomfortable.

[Alan]

They weren't playing. They didn't think it was funny. Your mom.

[Brighton]

They did not think it was funny.

[Alan]

Missy rebuked me for that later in the car. She's like, babe, why do you have to have awkward conversations with people? And I went to Jesus. I went to Jesus. I said, he had conversations. I was trying to break the ice. You never know where those conversations will lead. But I'm like, that guy. There's a. There's some commercials out right now. I forgot what the commercials are. I don't want to give them an advertisement here. But it's like, don't turn into your parents. Which. I find those commercials funny. But I realized I'm that guy.

[Zach]

Oh, yeah.

[Alan]

I'm the guy.

[Zach]

When the stuff they're doing to make fun of makes sense to you. That's. That's me. I'm like, I do that.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

Yeah.

[Zach]

I walk into a store, I wash my trash cans. Does that make me a terrible person?

[Alan]

Like, at the gas station, if I'm there and everybody's pumping gas, I can't embrace that silence. I have to say something. I can't just all be in my world. And I did that in the elevator. I think it's because I'm kind of nervous. I'm claustrophobic. So I just start talking. But no one was responding to your point. The whole reason I brought that up is because it hit me last night. Now, we had those three kids. Three, two and one. They were unnoticeable for three hours. We were in that restaurant for three.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

Hours, and they behaved themselves.

[Alan]

You did not notice they were there.

[Brighton]

They also had a lot of French fries, though, too.

[Alan]

Well, that is true, but Brighton.

[Zach]

And that's not normal anymore. Cause we were just in Oregon, and every restaurant we went into, there were kids out of control at every restaurant. And it was like. And the parents were just like, that's what they do. You know, it was like there was no even trying to, like, tamp it down. And so, like, everybody's, like, looking at each other like, man, you know, this is terrible. But. But nobody does anything. And they're just like, let them go. And it was just. And at least in our life, we have grandkids. I love them. It's like, you know, a kid's gonna. Every once in a while, but this is just, like, complete. We're not functioning in a proper society. We're like. We're at the daycare.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

Well, you can't spank kids anymore. But my mom had a little technique.

[Jason]

Don't tell her.

[Alan]

Well, you're not supposed to.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

My mom had a technique, though, that we've used. I probably shouldn't say this, because it's gonna be on. Everybody will know what I'm doing now. It's a Vulcan death grip. You guys remember that?

[Alan]

Oh, I've used it many times. You get the. You know.

[Zach]

They do.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

Yeah, it's the.

[Zach]

Yeah, you get longer and prosper. That's not the grit. It's right on the shoulder right here.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

But the key is, is your face has to never change. You have to look very gentle now.

[Zach]

Come on, sweetie.

[Alan]

It's time to move along.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

But what you're doing with the thumb is you're just, I mean, pressing that thumb and that pressure point and they're just like, nobody knows what you're doing.

[Brighton]

Or the pinch.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

Or the pinch.

[Alan]

The pinch is good.

[Brighton]

Behind the arm, behind the leg.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

I mean, we don't do that. I just heard people.

[Brighton]

Yeah. I just heard of people doing that.

[Jason]

We do all that.

[Alan]

Things were, things were different in our childhood, huh. Because they, my parents, they would, they would do public thumpings.

[Zach]

Mommy, mom had a thick.

[Jason]

Used to thump me about everything.

[Alan]

I'm a thumper.

[Zach]

Mom had a thick wedding ring and she'd just give you one of them whacks, Right.

[Jason]

She turned around.

[Zach]

Oh, yeah. Get it Like a boo.

[Alan]

Just boom.

[Zach]

Just right and leave a little welt.

[Alan]

We turned out fine.

[Zach]

I mean, look how normal we have.

[Brighton]

Well, it's better than today. Like what parents are doing today, you know, or given.

[Zach]

That's what I'm saying. Just nothing like.

[Brighton]

Yeah.

[Zach]

Not even like, correction. We're in a public place here, full of people.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

Yeah.

[Zach]

At least try to, you know.

[Alan]

Well, that's what I was doing.

[Zach]

Corral.

[Jason]

There's nothing you can do about it there.

[Zach]

Right?

[Jason]

When you get out to a restaurant and your kid's going crazy, there's literally nothing you can do because you don't have a foundation of respect from your kid. And they don't know the, the kid doesn't know that they don't respect you. They're just like, well, what are you talking about? I'm going to do what I want, you know?

[Commercial Announcer 2]

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[Alan]

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[Zach]

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[Commercial Announcer 2]

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[Alan]

3, 2, and 1. They sat there. No one noticed when I did because it was your birthday. So we were in Lulu Missy, they call her Lulu. She was on the end because she wanted to take care of any dirty diapers. And all because we didn't want you to have to deal with that. But I did the woman waitress, because we had two. A waiter and a waitress. I said, look, I see these fries coming around. This is before we've ordered or anything. I said, we're going to need a tray of those immediately.

[Brighton]

Because I was thinking up for success, too.

[Alan]

Yeah. And she was like, oh, that comes with the table. I was like, I know, but we have three kids there. I want to occupy them as soon as possible. That same woman, three hours later, whispered in my ear, I have never seen three kids have that good a behavior in this restaurant. I mean. So I wanted to tell you that I saved that for this moment. Yeah.

[Brighton]

Yeah.

[Alan]

Which is why you're here.

[Jason]

Did pee his pants.

[Brighton]

Yeah, he did.

[Jason]

But it's all right. No diaper, no nothing. Just didn't say anything.

[Zach]

Well, I mean, I've done that, too, recently, but that's my point.

[Alan]

Look, if you have a kid that does that and then doesn't even say anything, it's all part of it, man. Well, I kind of respect a man who didn't want to deal with disrupt the party.

[Jason]

After he did it, he leaned over, he says, I need to go potty.

[Alan]

And I said.

[Jason]

I looked down, I said, but you already went potty. And he was, like, just looking at me. I'm not sure what to do here.

[Alan]

How do you not forgive a kid for that?

[Brighton]

Yeah.

[Alan]

So that's why you're here, Brighton. You seem to make people better, so we want to see how that's happening. And I've said this. Your parents, who gave you your name, they. They just. They hit It.

[Brighton]

Yeah. Thank you. Well, you know, actually a lot of it started with Unashamed. I feel like that it was kind of already happening in my heart. But I started listening to Unashamed when Reed went on a duck hunting trip and my mom was supposed to come in town and help me with all three kids. I think Frances was four months old, so it was my first time being by myself with all three. So I was a little bit nervous, you know, a full week. And she called me the day of and said she got sick so she wasn't going to come. And I was like, all right, well, I have to buck up here. A whole week by myself and Jason talking to me some about, like, what he was studying. And I feel like every time that he would talk to me, I was like, I get it, but I'm not really seeing what you're saying, you know, like, I didn't get the excitement of it. Like, I've been a believer for my whole life. I was saved when I was probably 10 or 12. But that week I was like, I'm just going to listen to the podcast. And I could not stop listening to it once I started. I just never heard anyone teach the Bible in this way. And I like to describe it as I went at Phil's funeral, you said, may we never lose the thrill of the gospel like Phil had. And I feel like since I started listening to Unashamed, I've had that thrill about the word of God. And it completely changes the way that I mother and parent every day because instead of, you know, during nap time, my kids take three hour naps every day or rest. I'm just in the word and listening to Unashamed, taking notes that whole week. I also listened to all of the not yet now podcasts to give you a little plug there. Yeah, I think you had like 10 episodes out at the time and I just devoured the whole thing.

[Alan]

Yeah. And it's really helped our relationship because you started asking me questions, you know, via text.

[Brighton]

Yeah, well, it's like the perfect situation for me because I don't have to bother you all the time because I can just open my phone and listen to you, but then I can ask follow up questions.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

What's been like the. Like, what for you was like this is. Was there like a thing that was different that you were like, I haven't seen this.

[Brighton]

Oh, yeah. Like, just you guys talking about, like the kingdom and this, like us being the temple, But I think the kingdom aspect of it is like, oh, I'm not Just sitting here, like, waiting till I die. And I know y' all talk about this a lot, but it's like, I really related to that. Like, I kind of had this idea that I'm just sitting here, like, holding on, trying to not sin, like, grinding it out. And we had just found a new church, like, a year before, two years before, that totally changed our lives with just community, older couples discipling us so well. And I'd really had, like, a big realization of, like, I'm a sinner, even though I'd been saved since I was, like, 10 or 12. Like I said, grew up in the church, but never had a real understanding of, like. I guess the best way to put it is I viewed my life that, like, I am the main star and, like, God is here on my shoulder, helping me out. Kind of like, you know, the little angel and, like, the devil.

[Alan]

Yeah.

[Brighton]

And coming to this church, they really showed me that, like, wow, I am not the main character at all here. Like, I was elevating myself way too much, which was just so much selfishness.

[Alan]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Brighton]

And I mean, that's just a whole story, too, of the beginning of our marriage. Not to, like, go down too many rabbit holes, but.

[Zach]

Sorry, that's kind of true.

[Brighton]

I was gonna say that is kind.

[Alan]

Of the whole life.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

We're gonna change the name to the Rabbit Hole.

[Zach]

If I had go back six years ago, if we'd have known, this would have been called the Rabbit Hole.

[Brighton]

That's actually my favorite part of the podcast.

[Zach]

I think that's the best stuff.

[Alan]

But what I'm calling a rabbit hole is I'm saying there are some theme lines that go from Genesis to Revelation. And I. So I'm kind of being funny with that because somebody in a meet and greet a couple weeks ago said, hey, too many rabbit holes. And I said, hey, the rabbit holes, some of them are theme lines of the entire Bible. I'm saying once you see it, then you see that theme going through. So that's kind of what I meant by that.

[Brighton]

Like, that's what yalls rabbit holes have helped me understand the Bible so much more.

[Alan]

Yeah.

[Jason]

But basically what theology is, you know, trying to. The theology is the study of the entire Bible as one book. You know, So, I mean, I agree.

[Alan]

Yeah. I mean, well, if you're going to.

[Zach]

And if you're going to start from the beginning of human history and then cross over everything from the political aspects of the Old Testament, all that history, everything was there, and somehow then get to this point of Messiah coming to earth and the kingdom coming out of that. I mean, there's a lot of rabbit hole potential there. We're talking about a lot, you know, to discover, but it's not, it's not beyond our reach. That's the beauty of it. And once you get into that, it's beautiful and it's a good thing. All right, so back to your rabbit hole, which you. When you first got married, you were about to say.

[Brighton]

Yeah, that's how we had to. So many of our problems in our marriage in the beginning was just. I mean, I was just so selfish and just didn't know how to be a biblical wife. And we were also so young. I'm so thankful. Like, I think that it was. I see so much of the Lord's kindness in us marrying young. And we weren't as, I guess tampered, you know, getting married so young. Like, we really grew up together, but we got married.

[Jason]

We. We got married. And then how many months later? How many months later? Like two months later? We moved here one month, and then.

[Brighton]

The month after that.

[Jason]

We didn't know anybody. We didn't. We knew no one. I mean, I knew I had lived here before. I knew a couple of people that, I mean, I lived in a couple basements, you know, and stuff. Like, it just. We, we didn't have any community. We didn't have any. And we, I mean, we searched for community for, I mean, years. And when you're, when your dad passed away, I mean, we kind of. It was just. We went through so much in a very short amount of time after we got married. And we kind of regressed. No, we definitely regressed in our, in our faith. And we were just kind of like. Well, you know, we're. However we wanted to describe it, we were mad at God or we were, you know, we just, we just didn't care, essentially, is the. Is the truth of it. But I think moving here knowing no one and it was just me and you, and we just had to figure. I mean, we had basically everything. We had to figure out where to live. We had to. I mean, we just, we had to figure out how to, how to love each other and how to. What. What is biblical marriage? You know, what is a union relationship?

[Brighton]

We were kind of learning backwards too. So the month after we got married, my dad got diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. And then for the next year, he's doing. Having big surgeries, having treatments, and then a year later, he passed away. So it's like that whole first year of marriage, I Feel like we were just kind of surviving. Like, you're not really. It didn't feel like we really started our marriage because I was so focused on that. I was also in nursing school at the time. And then when he died, they were like. A lot of my teachers were like, I think you should drop out, like, or just take the semester off, you know, because he passed away in January, which was like the start of the semester. And I was like, I'm not. What am I gonna do? Sit home and just like cry all day? Like, I'm not gonna do that. I'd rather just be in school. Like, he wanted me to finish and he was very big on, like, me having a career and. Which is funny cause now I'm a stay at home mom and he would.

[Zach]

But you're a very educated mom.

[Brighton]

Yeah.

[Zach]

And you know how to nurse.

[Brighton]

Yeah. And it's a helpful information.

[Zach]

You know, I've been using the. The line for a while that PhD weight loss approached our podcast and said they needed a guinea pig and I was the fattest pig. But it's been a life changer for me. Dr. Ashley Lucas has been on the podcast a couple of times and does a really good job at not only coming up with a great diet plan, but explaining to her clients what weight loss is, how you keep it off, what to eat, when to eat, and really works on the relationship with food. And you and I have both had success. Here's a picture of me if you're watching this on YouTube at the very beginning. And here I am in the latest pick. I'm about 36 weeks into the program now, and I'm knocking at the door of £70 lost, obviously feeling better than I ever have. My meds have been cut almost completely out, which has been a blessing. I don't have my CPAP machine anymore, which is a ball and chain that is now out of my life that I used to have to drag all over the country. There's no gimmicks, there's no pills, there's no injections, there's no side effects. PhD weight loss will also provide 80% of your weekly foods at no extra cost. So if you've been thinking about it and a lot of you have approached me now at events, you've seen me in the flesh and you said, al, tell me about the plan. So here it is. Join us on the weight loss journey. You can schedule a one on one consultation, which is very important because they explain everything to you by calling them at 864-644-1900. Or you can visit my PhD weight loss dot com. That's 864-644-1900. Tell them Al and Zach sent you.

[Brighton]

Yeah, so I finished nursing school, but it was. I feel like that that started us down kind of a dark path, too, after my dad, because it was really hard for me to. I didn't believe that God was good. Like, I believed in God and believed in Jesus and all the things, but I struggled so much with. I remember sitting in our church that we were going to at the time. It was a really big church, and no one knew that my dad had died. And they were singing Good, Good Father. And I was like, I just. Just don't believe in these lyrics. And I remember leaving, and I don't think we went back to church for a year after that and maybe even longer. But it was also Covid, too. So it was kind of a good excuse. Like, it's like, well, no one's going.

[Alan]

Yeah.

[Brighton]

So just a super spiritually dry season. I started working in the ER as a nurse, and that was just. Just very void of any light. Super Dark Season 2 being there. And I would say that this verse is like, something I really relate to now, especially because I feel like it's kind of like a contrast of me then and now. But Ephesians 6, which has been coming up a lot with Charlie Kirk, but for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the ruler's authorities, against the dark, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. And then it goes on talking about the armor of God. And when I was working in the er, I did not have the armor of God. I was just letting everything, like, that was coming at me affect me and seep in. And I had already kind of come from a background of, like, no real foundation of not the Bible, but, like, theology, I guess. So everything was kind of, okay, impermissible in my head. Like, as long as you believe in Jesus, it's fine. Or, like, you kind of talk about him. Doesn't really matter. Like, the way you live your life. Like, I'm sure that that person's still a Christian, too. And I was just nice working as a nurse. And so I feel like people thought that, like, oh, they knew I was a Christian, which is so funny because I actually had, like, the worst potty mouth at the time, too.

[Alan]

Really?

[Brighton]

Yes.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

Did you know that read?

[Alan]

Did you do that?

[Brighton]

I'm confessing. Right. Yeah.

[Alan]

That actually shocks me. I don't remember yeah, Someone told me.

[Zach]

Just recently that the, the worst curse cursors. I guess the worst people that curse are nurses in the er. Someone just told me that.

[Brighton]

I mean, the language even that people would say around patience, you know, like, I'm like, when I first started, I was like, you're saying this in front of like. Or a doctor, you know, like they're saying it right there. And you just. I mean, I worked there for three years. Like, you just kind of let it become the norm, you know, which is so sad. But I didn't have the intensity. I mean, you're seeing a lot of horrible things too, and like, you kind of get numb to that. And I think a big part of it too is I became very numb to like, people aren't good either.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

You just get really cynical.

[Brighton]

Yes, super cynical one. I mean, you're kind of being abused in a way, you know, by patients, by other staff members too, you know, and like, you kind of have to prove yourself. And so then when I got pregnant with Maris, I was like, oh, I'm gonna be done, because this is just. I'm not having a good time anyways. And like, I wasn't being a good wife at home either. Had a lot of like, resentments, I think, just like building up towards Reid that weren't even. Just like, not for any reason that he was doing, but just not like having any biblical foundation, you know, not letting things go. Like little fights that we would have and stuff. And so it just kind of made sense for me to stay at home. I mean, I'm not making that much as a nurse, so I'm not going to pay for daycare. But I'd never see myself being a stay at home mom, I always thought, which is wild to say now because I feel like that's like my biggest passion in the world and now. So I, yeah, we were just like, oh, I'm definitely going to quit. And I went on maternity leave at 36 weeks. I was like, maybe I'll go back for like a little bit. They offered me a PRN job whenever I quit, which you make a lot more money when you work prn. And so I went back for like two shifts and then I was like, no, this is not it. And yeah, from that point, I feel like the Lord just really worked on my heart in a lot of different ways. Not even from really me studying the Bible then, because I wasn't. But it's funny seeing ways that weren't even like people who weren't even believers or Christians were Like God can just use anything to change your heart and to soften it. And I think Missy had a big part in that too. Just, she really encouraged me that I was doing the right thing being a stay at home mom and really rallied behind me and I think just made me feel valued because I had never seen the value in a stay at home mom. My dad, my whole life had really pushed on me, like, you have to either be a doctor or a lawyer and you're nothing if you're not that. And then when I said I was going to be a nurse, he was like mad at me for a couple months and then, then he got over it and I think he was like, fine that I was going to be a nurse. He was happy when I graduated nursing school. But yeah, I don't know.

[Jason]

He told him when I was sitting on the, on the bench outside of an outback when I asked him to if I could marry his daughter. And he said, well, how are you going to make money? And I said, I'm going to be a musician.

[Brighton]

Extremely calm. It's one of the most surprising.

[Jason]

I know.

[Zach]

Did he say? Yeah, he's. Because, because, you know, I mean, he was kind of our whole generation above you. Everybody said no.

[Alan]

Really?

[Jason]

Yeah.

[Zach]

And I didn't even ask because I knew the answer.

[Jason]

He said, yeah, I think he really did. He loved her so much that he just thought, I mean, they'll work it out, I guess. I'm not sure, but I mean, I could tell he wasn't happy about it.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Jason]

So.

[Brighton]

Yeah, yeah. And let's see, we had, I mean, I had Maris and David back to back, so they were 14 months apart and that was just like a whirlwind. You don't really have time to think about anything. I think I kind of blacked out during that time period too. Like, I don't remember much of David as a baby, but it was so fun. I wouldn't have it any other way. And I think it's like just seeing the Lord's faithfulness contrasting. Like my dad passing away to then fast forward almost two years ago now. I, I wasn't pregnant with Francis yet and we're just at home and I get a call from my brother and my niece and nephew who were I think 8 and 6 at the time or 9 and 7 had died in a car accident and I mean, just totally rocked our world.

[Alan]

Like, yeah, y' all were extremely close to them.

[Brighton]

Yeah, very close. And like, I mean, not just to my brother, but my sister in law is like My sister, basically. I've known her since I was so little, like seven or something. I don't know. Um, she's always been a part of my life. And my one nephew survived the car accident, so they had three kids. And just the most, like. I mean, you can't even wrap your head around what that would be like as a parent. So, yeah, we went down to Louisiana immediately. There was a lot of, like, I see the Lord so much in that whole week because Missy was already in Nashville and we. Neither one of us could drive. And like, we had Maris and David too, so we didn't want to risk, like, us just being too shaken up. And Missy drove us there. The kids were perfect. The whole drive there. I was just thinking about that this morning when I was thinking about talking about this, like, how much the Lord just provided. Cole came that week too, and he drove your car down so we would have a car. And Missy and Jace took care of our kids the whole week, which I think you've, like, talked about a little bit.

[Jason]

Friends that we. Friends that we had prayed for for years and couldn't find a church. I mean, and this is. This is. We really are down a rabbit hole now. But we. We were like, all of our family lives in Louisiana. We. We've lived here for seven years. We can't find a church. We can't find a community. Every friend we have, they go back to their family. You know, we'll have a couple friend. We're good friends with them. And it's like, hey, all our family lives in, you know, wherever, and they're moving back. And we just. We can't. We can't figure this out. Let's just move back to Louisiana. We had just finished our house, and so we put our house on the market. Brand new house, awesome, awesome property. And. And we had all kinds of showings for months and never sold in the hottest market in Nashville's history. Like, what is going on here?

[Brighton]

For six months, we never had one offer.

[Jason]

And we're like, what is going on? And Brighton had just had David. She goes to a park, and this girl's like, wow, you're brave. You know, you have like a two week old at a park. She'd never been to the park before, drove 30 minutes from our house because this park had this particular, like, rubberized ground or something.

[Brighton]

It had a fence all the way.

[Jason]

Around, so I didn't have to. And just talking. Gets invited to this couple's church. And within three months of that, we had found our best friends. In the world, an amazing church. Then this happens. And, you know, some of those friends, they immediately drove down to Louisiana, came to the funeral.

[Brighton]

The couple kept our dogs.

[Jason]

Yeah. The pastor of that church and his wife, who's now one of our closest friends, he. They stayed at our house for however long. Two weeks. Weeks.

[Brighton]

And a lot of the older couples just met them, had, like, started discipling us really well before that, which, like, looking back, for sure prepared our hearts for what was fixing to happen and for the support when we got back. Because when we went down there, it was like me and Reed are just pouring everything we have out. Like, we don't really have a lot of time to grieve. I feel like we didn't really start grieving till we got back, because it was, like, survival mode, you know?

[Zach]

And you were a support system for people there. Yeah.

[Brighton]

Yeah, I was like. I would say me and Reed were a big support for my brother and his wife. She was burned pretty bad from the accident, and so I helped take care of her a lot that week. Like, bathing her, making sure, like, she had all her medicine, dressing her wounds, which I say that week, I was like, maybe this is the only reason that God made me a nurse. Was just for this week. And if that was it.

[Alan]

Well. And you're not even telling the detail. I mean, it was, like, the most horrific circumstance that you could ever imagine. Losing your children.

[Brighton]

Yes.

[Jason]

And pretty much the worst thing that could ever happen to watch to someone.

[Alan]

Yeah. To watch your kids die.

[Brighton]

Yeah.

[Alan]

Is horrible.

[Zach]

So, Jase, you got a little friend there on set.

[Alan]

Well, Oscar thinks my beard is a potential lair.

[Zach]

So that's Oscar Meyer Mancuso. I guess it would be my grand dog.

[Alan]

He's working on the crumbs that could possibly be in the beard.

[Zach]

And the thing about it, you know, we love our pets. And Oscar has just been introduced to our really good friends at Ruff Greens because we know we want to take care of our animals. You have a lot of problems, you know, with animals. Sometimes you get skin allergies, sore joints, stomach issues, ear infections. You know, you walk, you go to the vet, you come out, you got a handful of meds, and you're just crossing your fingers, hoping it all works. Well, the problems all start with the same issue, A weak immune system. And we got a youngster like Oscar. We want to make sure that we're taking care of them and getting them good food and getting them good supplements, which is where our friends at Ruff Greens come in. Dennis Black has created this Great product is packed with live nutrients that work from the inside out, giving your dog the foundation they need to thrive instead of just patching up the symptoms. So get off the vet visit. Merry go round. With America's number one dog supplement, thousands of pet owners are seeing the difference. More energy, shinier coats and fewer problems. Just like my little granddaughter, Oscar Meyer. So right now you can give it a try for yourself with a free jump start trial bag. Just cover the shipping because the best doctor visit is the one you never have to make. Go to roughgreens.com use the promo code unashamed to break the cycle today. R U f f greens.com promo code unashamed.

[Brighton]

Reed slept with Hayes, my nephew that whole week. So it was like we were kind of just tag teaming. I slept with my brother every night because my, neither one of them wanted to be alone but my sister in law couldn't be in the bed since she was so burned. And it was amazing seeing like just God's people come together for them and in every way, you know, and, and they were supporting me because I was supporting my brother and sister in law and I mean Reed helped build or what did you do, dig the footers for the mausoleum which is south Louisiana. It really showed a burial site.

[Jason]

You know, it really showed the importance of community because I mean, I guess that would be an encouragement that I have for people is if you feel like you don't have a community, do whatever you got to do to go out and find one.

[Alan]

Yeah.

[Jason]

Because I mean that whole two week span we were down there, I mean there was never less than. They were never in that house every single day, you know, just, I mean just everyone in that, which they live in a small town and her brother is the only surgeon within however many miles, you know, so he knew everybody. I mean her, her dad was a family doctor in the same town and he used to tell me when, when the show started, he'd say I'm just as famous as your dad. I'm like, oh, okay. And he's like, I can't go to Walmart either. You know, hey Doc, look at this, look at this.

[Alan]

In his circle he was.

[Jason]

Yeah, he was, he was. And so it just. Which you know, and that's a specific circumstance. But I mean they just had the community, I mean still the community has just rallied around them and I mean it really does show the importance of having, having people around you that care for you, you know, and if you don't have that, go find it because you can, you can find that.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

It took you guys a while, but you found. I mean, I remember you guys stay with us a week, one weekend, and I guess it was maybe right before it was pretty close to what you found, the community that you're in now. But I remember y' all saying, we've been here for, I guess, seven years and we just cannot find a church. We just cannot find.

[Alan]

And there's literally a church on every corner.

[Brighton]

Yeah, I know. It's harder than you think. Yeah.

[Alan]

Yeah.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

Well, Nashville's very transient to your point earlier, so it is kind of a transient city. I mean, I think.

[Alan]

But.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

But I think that it is something that you have to prioritize and you may have to be long suffering in it, but I don't. Yeah, I don't think I could do life without other people speaking into me, and vice versa. And even my kids and having that multi generational influence. I love that you mentioned you have older couples that you're submitting yourself to discipleship. That's another thing, too. Like, discipleship's a huge part of why God gave us the church. And we want the autonomous experience to go in and consume the worship. But really the call of the church is to enter into these discipleship relationships where people will walk with us and be long suffering with us. And I think you see it most in, well, in times of rejoicing, like in weddings, and then in times of tragedy. Right. When you're faced with something really hard, you get to experience that.

[Alan]

Well, that's what I was going to say from my perspective. I mean, to kind of use that C.S. lewis quote, which has been going around, I guess, a lot from the Charlie Kirk situation, where it says, you know, God whispers in our pleasures, but in our pain, he uses a megaphone to awaken a deaf world. It's something like that. I'm paraphrasing, but because I saw you. I mean, y' all do this for your brother. And I mean, it went on for days, and it was just such a. Everyone had stopped life, even the people, you know, Missy and I, and we're trickled down from your family. We're keeping your kids, and they're asking all these hard questions, which is. Was difficult. I can't imagine the conversations y' all are having there. But then all of a sudden, I get the word that you're going to do. You're going to speak on behalf of the family for the funeral. I was like, what? But from my perspective, because I just thought. I don't think she realizes. Well, I Didn't know how the process where you volunteered to do that. But I thought, I don't think she realizes. I don't know if she's going to be able to do that. And so. But I will have to say, I mean, that was one of the greatest things I've ever seen. I was super proud of you because you just marched up there and I thought, she's actually walked. She is, she is going to attempt to do this.

[Zach]

He kept thinking you were going to turn back.

[Brighton]

Everyone was like, do not get up there. Like, even the pastor of their church was like, I've never seen anyone be able to stay up there during a child's funeral. Which I'm not saying that, like, to my credit, it was like an out of body experience, which I think was totally the Holy Spirit, because that's what.

[Alan]

I was going to say because that was the whole day.

[Brighton]

Like we had the whole visitation before that. And it's like a feeling I'll never forget. I wasn't even. I had. You couldn't make me cry that day, which is like the saddest, you know, day, you would think. But I think it was just like the Lord kind of put a shield around me and gave me strength because I just, it was so close to me and I had so many, like, deep conversations. My sister in law with that, like, taking care of her that week and her faith was the most amazing thing I've ever seen. Like, so many people kept coming up to me being like, you need to be ready. Like, she's going to break down. She's going to, she, it's going to, she's going to crack. There's no way. And she never did. Like, even to this day, like, she's definitely, as you can imagine, has very difficult times. But like, the Lord has carried her through this and her faith in the Lord has been amazing. Just the most positive person and always, like, she sees the good that's come out of this and the good and that. She believes that God is good, which hasn't.

[Alan]

She does so many things in their name.

[Brighton]

Definitely.

[Alan]

To several of those with y' all that are. It started off kind of small, but I mean, this last thing, it was like a softball game for special needs kids in their honor. And I mean, everybody, I don't know if y' all knew this because y' all are a little closer to the exit. Everybody there and it was a large group of people.

[Jason]

I mean, there's 20,000 people there.

[Alan]

Tears were just streaming down my face immediately. I just thought What. What a thing to do.

[Brighton]

Yeah.

[Alan]

In the face of such tragedy. And now we're pretty far from that happening.

[Brighton]

Yeah.

[Alan]

She's just still at it.

[Brighton]

I know. I just kept thinking, like, if that was my babies, I would want someone to say something, like, about them, you know, if it was their funeral. Like, I know that it's so hard, but it's 10, 15 minutes. And I think it really. It just brought comfort, I think, too, to. It's not just like someone saying that didn't really know them and I didn't make it long or anything, but, oh, it was spectacular. And I just kept thinking, as a mother, like, somebody has to. And I was waiting the whole week thinking someone's going to surely, like someone else is going to step up like one of my other brothers. And yeah, then when I. It was getting closer, I was like, you're gonna say something, right? Oh, no, I'm not gonna say anything. Okay. Well, I'm looking around here and it's looking like it's me.

[Zach]

You were the one.

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[Zach]

Well, I noticed it every time that, you know, the bills come due for the insurance.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

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[Brighton]

Yeah, I think I was definitely already breaking a little bit. And I think, like, finding our community, going to our new church, but that really, like, rocked my world. It made me just like, I think, question, like, my day to day, like, what direction am I heading here as a mom? And Casey, my sister in law, like, said like, a few things. I think it just puts things in perspective, you know. And I remember her saying to me one night, like, I did everything right, like, by the book that you're supposed to. Like, I gave my kids, like, the healthiest foods. Like, I taught them all the things, I protected them as much as I could. I nursed them as long as I could. All these things. As a mom, you worry about trying to just make your kids have the best life, and I still couldn't control any of it. Ultimately, they're the Lord's. And that changed so much of the way that I parent because I feel like I'm just not as worried about those things that I can't control and things that the world, like, can whisper in your ear and say that you need to do this, you need to do that as a mom. Or like, even good things, like having my house look clean, having my kids look perfect, and like, good things, like my kids, you know, not interrupting me when I talk and having good manners, like, those are good things, but they can become really legalistic and, like, selfish. You know, I don't want to parent out of, like, what do other people.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Brighton]

Think of me by the way my kids behave? I want to go after their heart. I think me and Reid have tried really hard to, like, our goal here is to shepherd their heart and to point them to Jesus and show like, I'm trying to expose their sin here. I'm not just correcting bad behavior because I don't want them to do that. And I want them.

[Jason]

There's a jaycism in there that we have you told me this since I used to cry when I struck out when I was seven years old. And then I tell her all the time. I mean, it's something that we live by is you can only worry about the things in your control. If something's out of your control, you can't worry about it at all. And you've told me that. I mean, consistently when I was a kid. But it's something that you have said for, I mean, 25 years now.

[Zach]

To me, because you walk that line, you know, in Ephesians, you tell me, Ephesians 6, there's. There's that line that he says, do not exasperate is the way the NIV puts it. Your children, there's a. There's a point where you can push them so far. I mean, you do that job of discipline, but you also realize you're. They're growing into this adult human one day that you still want to have a close relationship with. And if you go too far, sometimes that won't happen. And I always say you want to do. I love the way you put it. You want to teach them how to be a son or daughter of the Almighty, because then they'll be able to be ready for whatever happens, because stuff's going to happen. But it's interesting, me as an uncle to you guys, just to watch, and I'm saying with my own children now, when you start reaching that maturity, both spiritual and even in the family. And I mentioned this when Reed, after Dad crossed over, I just saw just like the oldest grandson steps into a role. And I just saw it happen, and it was just like a wonderful, beautiful thing. And I saw the same with Anna, the oldest granddaughter, just step in with mom and just do what needs to be done. And so it really is why we spent the time we did trying to raise you guys to then be that, you know, because then you start taking care of both ends. You got your children, but you also have aging grandparents, aging parents days. And we don't like to admit it, but forget.

[Alan]

Well, I was just going to say you brought up Ephesians 6, but that's right after he went through Ephesians 5 talking about the marriage relationship, which is all the struggles you. You were depicting in the early years and then parenting. And then he's like, this is a spiritual war.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Brighton]

Yeah.

[Alan]

And what moved me, we're kind of. I guess the theme line of this is. I'm just thinking back to those moments when you did step up there. I thought, this woman's got a heart for the Lord. And because that was the most selfless act that a person could possibly do, you got nothing out of that. The only thing that could happen would be bad is if you say something stupid or fall apart or, you know. Yeah. And I just thought, this is incredible. God uses people. Like, that's what I kept thinking. That's why I was so impressed by that. So then, I don't know why I was shocked when you sent me that text about. You said, I've been listening unashamed, and I have some questions. I was like, well, what led you to that? Because I was thinking, did something happen? How does a person listen to a podcast about the Bible? I don't know if you remember the exact phraseology, but it moved me to tears because you were like, well, my kids. I want to make sure I can pour into them because you were depicting this kind of like what I'm saying about the Ephesians 5. This. This is. You know when people say God didn't give us a manual for marriage or what? There's no man. People say there's no manual for parenting. I'm like, well, the Bible's a pretty good manual. It's. It is the manual.

[Brighton]

I think, like, too. The enemy wants to. The best thing he can do is keep us distracted. And I think that that's kind of where I was. Like, I was spending a lot of time on my phone. A lot of time just, like, comparing myself and just being so distracted every day.

[Alan]

Social media, that's a big.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

That's.

[Brighton]

Yeah. Especially for moms. It's like, just a big trap and wishing, like, you have something else that someone else has or. Yeah, just comparing yourself, like, not being satisfied. I think about Psalm 90 a lot. That's like, the only thing that can satisfy us is the Lord, truly. And I feel like over the last year, I've really experienced that because nothing was ever satisfying me. I can't even, like, even good things, like my husband and my children. Like, I remember watching my kids play and sitting there and picking up my phone and, like, because just watching them play wasn't enough. Like, I needed to get on my phone to feel satisfaction. And now, I mean, it's. I think it's always going to be a struggle just in this time that we live in. But, like, I am just during nap time. I say that because it's, like, such a. It's three hours of my day for the most part. Like, my kids are really good sleepers, and I only read my Bible now. I won't even. I try to not even pick up my phone. And I encourage a lot of moms to do that. And it will change your life. Yeah.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

But it is a practice.

[Jason]

It's a spiritual discipline that you have to.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

It takes a while. Especially like, when your body has been conditioned to have that dopaminergic release.

[Brighton]

It's a detox.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

It's a dopamine detox.

[Zach]

You have to go through.

[Jason]

It kind of goes back to the, hey, you can only worry about things under your control. We were not. We weren't built to experience the population of Earth's bad stories. You know, it just.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

We weren't.

[Jason]

And so it's like none of that is in your control. Don't worry about.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

I've been so mad the last 48 hours about this kid who got his spine hurt in a football accident because another player jumped on top of him. And somewhere across the country I'm like, why am I so. I had nothing to do with that. But yeah, I saw that story and it's like sat in my corner crawl, and I'm like, totally.

[Brighton]

It's like it affects you. That was what I was finding too, is like, even when I wasn't on it, I was thinking about all the things that I was seeing on it and I'm like, this is. I'm in this cycle that I can't break. Like, I am just spiraling and spiraling.

[Zach]

Social media is the new er.

[Brighton]

Yeah.

[Zach]

You know.

[Brighton]

Yeah, exactly. Like, you can fill anything in that gap and the enemy is going to use whatever to do that to destroy your family. Because that will, like, over time, you know, if I'm not being intentional in teaching my kids. And I think it's like little choices every day of what I'm teaching them.

[Zach]

Sounds like Jace is right. Is here.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

Speaking of.

[Jason]

Speaking of er.

[Zach]

And that's perfect timing because we're out of time. That was a fantastic discussion.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

It really was.

[Zach]

Thank y' all so much because. Yeah, it's a great insight to the listeners too because there's a. A lot of our people that listen Are you guys age. Obviously you're one of those. Our number one listening and. But the things you spoke into that will be. Is. Would be well received and very good. So love you guys.

[Brighton]

Yeah. Thank you for having us.

[Zach]

Yeah, thanks for sharing.

[Alan]

I didn't know y' all were just gonna bear it all.

[Zach]

They did. Thanks for listening to the Unashamed podcast. Help us out by leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcast and don't miss an episode by subscribing on YouTube and be sure to click the little bell and choose all notifications to watch every episode.