How You Can Take Ownership Over the Things Making You Anxious | Sadie, Christian & Freddie

Summary

WHOA That's Good Podcast

Episode: How You Can Take Ownership Over the Things Making You Anxious
Hosts: Sadie Robertson Huff, Christian Huff, & Freddie
Release Date: February 3, 2025

Introduction

In this heartfelt episode of the "WHOA That's Good" podcast, host Sadie Robertson Huff delves deep into the pervasive issue of anxiety. Joined by her husband Christian Huff and their friend Freddie, Sadie explores personal experiences, offers insightful perspectives, and provides actionable advice on managing and overcoming anxiety. The conversation is both candid and supportive, aiming to equip listeners with the tools to take ownership of their anxious feelings.

Personal Journeys with Anxiety

Christian's Story:
Christian opens up about his lifelong struggle with anxiety, dating back to his childhood. He shares poignant memories of hiding behind his mother and fearing natural phenomena like tornadoes, reflecting on how these early experiences shaped his adult life.

"I was an anxious kid... I would cry every time I saw rain clouds because I was scared there would be a tornado."
(04:00)

Freddie's Perspective:
Freddie discusses her experiences with anxiety from a counselor's viewpoint. While she hasn't been formally diagnosed, she acknowledges feeling anxious during significant life moments, such as dating and motherhood. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the root causes of anxiety and distinguishing between different types of anxious feelings.

"I can count multiple times where I would wake up in the morning having anxiety for no reason and having to learn to combat that in ways that helped me."
(10:47)

Christian on His Wife's Anxiety:
Christian also addresses Freddie's experiences with anxiety, particularly during their daughter's health scare. He highlights how shared anxiety can sometimes amplify the feeling, making it challenging for couples to support each other effectively.

"We're going to talk about how to be a friend of fear... it's like speaking truth in the moment and bringing us back to a good place."
(06:45)

Understanding Anxiety: Sin or Natural Feeling?

The hosts engage in a nuanced discussion about whether anxiety is sinful. They collectively agree that anxiety itself is not inherently sinful but can sometimes be a consequence of sin or external circumstances like trauma and grief. They emphasize the importance of not self-condemning but rather seeking understanding and support.

"I don't think anxiety itself is sinful... It's human. It's natural. You're gonna have anxiety."
(18:05)

Freddie Adds:
Freddie elaborates on how anxiety can stem from various sources, such as traumatic events or environmental factors, and stresses the importance of not labeling anxiety as a sin to avoid undue self-condemnation.

"If you're gonna treat your anxiety like it's a sin, then you're gonna be so condemning to yourself... which is in turn gonna make your anxiety worse."
(20:00)

Scriptural Insights and Belief

Christian and Freddie incorporate their faith into their discussion, sharing how scriptures and their relationship with God help them manage anxiety. They discuss the significance of understanding scripture in context and using it as a foundation for overcoming fear and anxiety.

"The word is clear. Like, I have not given you a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind."
(20:48)

Christian on Deepening Scriptural Understanding:
Christian emphasizes that merely quoting scripture isn't enough; understanding the broader narrative and context is crucial for truly internalizing its messages.

"If you read Moses, like, that's an amazing thing for overcoming anxiety... It's not gonna say, like, anxiety."
(50:53)

Coping Mechanisms and Strategies

The trio shares practical strategies to manage anxiety, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness, controlling triggers, and utilizing support systems. They advocate for proactive measures such as avoiding known anxiety triggers, seeking professional counseling, and fostering a supportive community.

"Taking a step back to not talk about it... being practical and resolving the issue at hand without overly investing more time into it than it's needed."
(38:49)

Freddie on Breaking the Spiral:
Freddie explains that overcoming anxiety often requires consistent self-control and avoiding behaviors that fuel anxious feelings. She highlights the challenge of breaking these patterns but underscores their importance for mental well-being.

"It's a self-control thing. It's a control thing. I want to be able to control what I can't control, and that's why I'm anxious."
(27:33)

Supporting Each Other as a Couple

Christian and Freddie discuss the dynamics of handling anxiety within a marital relationship. They acknowledge that shared anxiety can sometimes exacerbate the feeling, making it essential to provide each other with balanced support and seek external perspectives when needed.

"One of us can speak truth in the moment and bring us back to a good place."
(33:34)

Approach to Joint Anxiety:
Christian shares their approach to dealing with anxiety together, including reaching out to friends, attending counseling, and leaning on their faith for strength.

"We have reached out to outside people... but also we do go to a counselor too."
(38:49)

The Role of Personal Responsibility

The hosts stress the importance of taking ownership of one's anxiety by identifying and mitigating personal triggers. They discuss how lifestyle choices, such as caffeine intake and media consumption, can significantly impact anxiety levels and advocate for mindful decision-making.

"People do not take that kind of ownership... What could have possibly led you here?"
(25:39)

Christian on Lifestyle Adjustments:
Christian shares his experience of eliminating caffeine to reduce anxiety symptoms, highlighting how small changes can have a profound effect on mental health.

"I did have to cut out caffeine for a long time... it was super helpful because caffeine would make my heart beat faster and it would make my body feel anxious."
(25:39)

Leveraging Faith and Community

Throughout the episode, the hosts intertwine their faith with their coping strategies, emphasizing prayer, scripture, and community support as pillars in managing anxiety. They encourage listeners to deepen their relationship with God and to seek support from both their faith community and professional counselors.

Conclusion

This episode of "WHOA That's Good" provides a comprehensive exploration of anxiety, blending personal anecdotes with practical advice and faith-based insights. Sadie, Christian, and Freddie offer a compassionate and thoughtful dialogue that empowers listeners to understand, address, and overcome their anxious feelings. By fostering open conversations and encouraging proactive strategies, they create a supportive space for anyone grappling with anxiety.

Notable Quotes

• Christian Huff:
  "I have not given you a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind."
  (20:48)

• Freddie:
  "You have to make that decision every time that there's a movie option to go, 'I'm not gonna watch a scary movie.'"
  (27:33)

• Christian Huff:
  "This anxiety thing cannot be my identity. Doesn't mean I'm not gonna wrestle with it."
  (18:05)

• Freddie:
  "When you're gonna treat your anxiety like it's a sin, then you're gonna be so condemning to yourself."
  (20:00)

Resources Mentioned

• Minnow:
  Christian promotes Minnow as a top provider of Christian kid and family content, ideal for family movie nights and faith-based learning.

• Miracle Sheets:
  Freddie introduces Miracle Maid's silver-infused sheets, highlighting their benefits for better sleep and bacterial prevention.

Final Thoughts

"WHOA That's Good" successfully navigates the complex topic of anxiety, offering listeners a blend of personal vulnerability, faith-driven resilience, and practical solutions. Whether you're struggling with anxiety yourself or seeking to support a loved one, this episode provides valuable insights and encouragement to take ownership and move towards a more peaceful, empowered life.

Transcript

[Freddy]

Shake, shake, shake. Sinora, shake it all the time.

[Christian Huff]

When you add a shake of Frank's Red Hot, you open a world of better. A world where wings bring out the flavor of game day any day. Where buffalo chicken dip takes any party up a notch. And where any slice of pizza instantly becomes the world's best slice of pizza. At least until the next slice bring every bite to life with the perfect blend of flavor and heat. Frank's Red Hot. I put that S on everything. What's up, scissors and friends? Happy Monday, everybody. I hope you're having a good start to your week. And I really, sincerely believe this is going to make it so much better. Because today we are talking about a topic that I think most everybody has struggled with to some capacity, but that's anxiety, and we know that. What are you doing?

[Unknown]

I had an itch in my shoulder.

[Christian Huff]

Sorry. I'm getting anxious about what Christian's doing beside me.

[Unknown]

I just was, like, looking at my shoulder.

[Christian Huff]

Okay, sorry. We are going to be talking about anxiety, which is a topic that most people have struggled with in life, if not currently struggling with. And we all have stories of working through anxiety, overcoming anxiety, living in it, all of the. I think we. We kind of can probably talk about the whole range. I've had moments in life where I've had crippling anxiety and then just casual, everyday anxiety, and then moments of really, truly overcoming it. Gone through things as a couple with that. And then Freddy's also going to bring a perspective of like, one. She is our friend Freddy. So she'll talk about her own anxiety, but from a counselor's perspective of how to work through some of these things. You guys actually sent in a lot of great questions. We were going to just tell our stories and kind of just let it flow, which we could, but we could be here forever. And so we decided to see if you guys had specific questions. And once we got him back, I thought they were so good and actually lead into our stories anyways. And so we're going to lean into Yalls questions and hopeful tackle this massive topic of anxiety. So before we start, let's just get a little pulse. Check.

[Unknown]

That's the episode name Tackling anxiety.

[Christian Huff]

Oh, I like that. Okay. You'll. You heard it here first. You see it on YouTube or podcasting. Tackling Anxiety by Christian Huff. We're getting a pulse check right now. Currently in this state slash season of your life. How is your anxiety level, Christian?

[Unknown]

Good question. You can check my pulse.

[Christian Huff]

Anxious.

[Unknown]

I'm actually doing pretty good right now. Yeah, I feel like. I mean, so for me, just kind of like, just give them.

[Christian Huff]

Go for it, and then we'll get Freddy's pulse check.

[Unknown]

Um, so for me, I never, at any point in my life, wrestled with anxiety, like, growing up. And then we got married. Still no anxiety, which was, like, you know, I don't say. Harder for me to, like, maybe, like, relate to you.

[Christian Huff]

On.

[Unknown]

Do you feel like I was ever.

[Christian Huff]

I think it's interesting because one of the things that was really helpful to me is that you did not struggle with anxiety.

[Unknown]

So now I'm no longer a helper.

[Christian Huff]

You're no longer a help? No, no, no, no. I'm not saying that Freddie can counsel us. Yeah. I shouldn't have said it like that. But what I mean was, like, no, you were very helpful to me because you didn't struggle with it. And so you were like, one. You went with me to Dodger. Amen. To really understand my struggles with anxiety. You heard the tips he had for me, and you helped me actually work those out and walk those out. You were extremely helpful to me and anxiety, so I would not know. I feel like you tried very hard to understand what I went through.

[Unknown]

Do you feel like you were an anxious person pre fame?

[Christian Huff]

Oh, yeah.

[Unknown]

You were.

[Christian Huff]

I was an anxious kid.

[Unknown]

You were?

[Christian Huff]

Yes. I, like, hid behind my mom everywhere we went, and people would ask my mom if I smiled because I was scared, which is so sad.

[Freddy]

You have a beautiful smile.

[Christian Huff]

I would cry every time. Like, I would see, like, rain clouds coming at school. Not because I was, like, scared it was gonna rain. I was scared there would be a tornado, and I wasn't with my mom and if she was gonna be okay.

[Unknown]

That's so sad.

[Christian Huff]

But it's, like, just anxiety. Like, me and this one other kid, Evan, not to call you out. Me and Evan cried at every storm in school. We were the cry kids, me and Evan, the criers. And I would get so anxious that there was gonna be a tornado. And, like, mom was gonna not know because she doesn't care about the weather. And, like, it wasn't gonna be okay. And so, yeah, I've always been more. I would lean more towards anxiety because I would think about the worst case scenario from, like, young age.

[Unknown]

Little sidebar.

[Christian Huff]

No.

[Unknown]

So for me, never. Never wrestled with it growing up. We got married. Never struggled with it. We had a health scare with Honey, like, two and a half years ago. And that was kind of like the. The birth of, like, when I kind of started wrestling with anxiety. And I feel like, yeah, after having kids, that's for me, kind of when I started to wrestle with things because we had a moment with honey, she. Something happened, pretty scary. And then after that, it was like the fear my anxiety would kind of stem back to, like, I don't want to ever go back to that place again of like feeling helpless, scared, you know, not knowing how things were going to kind of turn out, blah, blah, blah. So then I feel like the times where I'm most anxious are like when our kids get sick or like things like that, which they seem to be sick. True all the time.

[Christian Huff]

So vulnerability fashion. We just came off of a month of being sick and your anxiety was really bad. It was really hard, you know, and now, like, we're not sick, so you're doing good. But yours is my pulse right now. I know. I was just kidding though. I said anxious. But like, yours is very connected to our kids and like being sick and that kind of thing. And I feel like yours is. I mean, it has been really hard because at first you just didn't know what was happening. I've never felt this before. And then also it's like anxiety is so loud in your mind, you know, like everybody's mind. But I feel like that's been something that's been hard for me to watch. You have to go through is like, you really have like a loud anxiety that something will happen if, let's say. And then. And then the thing with our marriage that's hard is like, because I have it too, then we make each other more anxious because sometimes like anxiety breeds anxiety, where it's like you start convincing yourself it really is like really bad when you kind of need someone to be like, no, we're okay.

[Unknown]

Well, that's the thing I told you because I. Yeah, I mean, I was like, before Christmas, they both had flu and rsv, so like, you know, all the typical high fevers, you know, waking up in the middle of the night, just kind of all this stuff. Breathing treatments and everything. It was like a month. I told you that. It was like I couldn't take a shower for like a month without thinking. I was like hearing someone screaming and. Yeah, like whether one of the kids got really sick or something happened or blah, blah, blah. So, yeah, most of my stuff usually comes attached to like. Yeah, like kids. I don't really wrestle with, you know, social anxiety or day to day, like going on a plane, you know, stuff like that. Mine's more so connected to like the kids and stuff. Yeah, but it is, it is. Yeah, it's challenging because I spent. Yeah. 25 years, 24 years of my life never wrestling with it. Then it was like, one day, it was like, bam.

[Christian Huff]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

So it's a. Yeah, it's new territory. I'm still trying to navigate it, but it is. It is tough. I used to kind of think anxiety was like a. Kind of like a.

[Christian Huff]

Don't even say it. I'm just kidding. You can say it.

[Unknown]

Well, no, I just kind of thought it was more like, dramatic. I'm not going to say the word I was going to say, but I thought it was maybe for people who.

[Christian Huff]

Well, I think it's fair to say, because that is the problem. Like, we're going to talk about that later about, like, how to be a.

[Unknown]

It was more so. Yeah. For the week.

[Christian Huff]

You know what's crazy? Someone else said that very line. I thought anxiety was for the week, like, years ago. And I was like, bro, that was so insensitive. Like, and it was a girl that said it. So I had said, bro, it wasn't you. I was just like, I can't believe.

[Unknown]

It made me say that.

[Christian Huff]

I just thought it was surprising that she said that. I thought that was, like, insensitive. And I was surprised that her perspective was that. And then I was like, that is so crazy to me because it's so. It was so real to me. The struggle is so real that I was just like, man, I can't believe that. But I think it's so good that you said that because that is the exact same line someone else said, meaning that, like, a lot of people think that, you know, like, most people who don't struggle with it think, like, it's something that you're just being dramatic or it's for the weak or you're not strong enough or, like, get yourself together where it's like, no, it's so real.

[Unknown]

Well, also thought, too, is like a buzz. It was like. I feel like at one point, it.

[Christian Huff]

Was like everybody had anxiety.

[Unknown]

It used to be like, what's still kind of like pornography. It was like everyone struggles with it. So it's like I kind of find a sense of community and like, a struggling kind of like almost like a wallowing sense in it. I kind of feel like that with anxiety was like, everyone struggles with it. So let me label myself as that. And as if there's no. Like, you can't overcome it. It was more like, this is what I am. This is what I struggle with. I'm always going to kind of wrestle with this. And it's like you don't always have to do that. So I kind of thought it was like, you know, I kind of just felt like it was cool to like wrestle with that. Yeah, I'm super busy. Like I'm.

[Christian Huff]

Yeah, I have anxiety.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Christian Huff]

Which we're going to get into all the questions specifically we touched on some of the questions, but I want to actually dive into what you asked. But before that, Freddie, what's your journey with an.

[Freddy]

I've never like been diagnosed. Obviously I have day to day small stressors. My anxiety really if you're gonna label it as that comes out in like big moments, I guess so like dating. I was very anxious around dating. Once I like actually started following the Lord, I had a lot of and I even hesitate to call it anxiety because I think it was appropriate fears about becoming a mom and like what that would look like. And I'm very slow to call it anxiety, but I can count multiple times where I would wake up in the morning having anxiety for no reason and having to learn to combat that in ways that helped me. But I would say it was more seasonal in moments. If my heart wasn't in the right place, if I was actively in sin that was causing me to have anxiety, things like that. But it's never been a diagnosis. I've never had to take medication or anything like that.

[Christian Huff]

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The songs are so good, the animation is so incredible and it's the story of David, but we love so many. God's Greenhouse is a great one that both the girls love. There are so many awesome shows. So visit gomenow.com to start your free trial today. Plus you can use the code Whoa to get your first month free. So this is a web only exclusive offer. So make sure you sign [e-mail] with the code Whoa to get your first month for free. I think, like, that's so good. I love. He's like, there's appropriate fear, which we're getting to that too. But I think that's the thing when you know you have like a problem with anxiety. It's, it's, it's irrational fear. Like, it's not fear because of this or fear because of that. It's like, I just am afraid. Like, I remember people used to be like, what are you anxious about? And I'd be like, I don't know. Like, it's not like, yes, I can tell you I'm anxious about this or anxious about that, but it's like I always feel anxious. Like, always, you know, and then like panic attacks will happen and I'll get like way over anxious. Like I think I'm having a heart attack or I think we need to go to the hospital. Like a total irrational level of fear that I've worked myself up to. And I can't even pinpoint why. It's just like I let it live in me, you know, and so. Which I actually didn't take medicine for it. And I don't think there's anything wrong with medication. Throw that out there. I think there's a time and a place for it. But in my case, I am grateful I didn't because I do think I had enough support around me to help me overcome it without medication. And I do think now just the things that I have learned from my support system and just overcoming it is that like, I, I'm capable of overcoming it, you know, like in other seasons and in other things that I go through, like, okay, I've been here, I know this, I know what's happening and I know how to get through it. And so instead of just like saying, okay, I need to take medicine. So I'm thankful I'm not dependent on that. However, I do understand that there is time and place for it. And I think you need to listen to your doctor and your support system on what's best for you. But yes, I definitely have lived in it. And I feel like I have common, like, yeah, fears now that are just natural, but I do not live with anxiety. And that was a really cool thing for me, actually. I went to the doctor that I hadn't been to in a long time when we moved back here, because I, like, previously gone to her before I moved to Nashville. And she handed me my chart, and she was like, hey, here's your old chart. Just change anything that's been changed. And, like, you know, you typically look at the address or your phone number or whatever you think might have changed. And it was so cool because on her paper, like, I had, like, anxiety. Like, that was a part of my medical page, and I marked it out, and I was like, this has changed. Like, I don't have that anymore. That's not. Like. That is not a defining characteristic of who I am. And that was such a cool thing for me because I didn't ever think I would actually be able to overcome. I thought that was going to be something that would be my whole life. Because, like I said, it wasn't like, fame that made me anxious. I kind of was like that from a little kid. So I thought, this is just who I am. This is a part of who I am. But the word is clear. Like, I have not given you a spirit of fear, want a power, love, and a sound mind. Like, you are not a slave to fear. But you have been adopted to call me, like, Abba Father. Like, I think once I started reading that, being like, okay, if I am a child of God, this anxiety thing cannot be my identity. Doesn't mean I'm not gonna wrestle with it. Doesn't mean it's not something that might come up in my life, but it is not who I am, you know? And so really taking the scripture and believing it and walking that out has been really powerful for me. But that's great. We're going to get into a lot of the questions that we kind of already just teased. And that's why I love your question so, so, so much. Someone said, is having anxiety sinful? Since the Bible tells us not to fear, I would love to talk about this, and then we can all kind of hit it, but. And we might have different opinions on this. I personally don't think anxiety itself is sinful. I think anxiety sometimes is a consequence of sin. Like you mentioned, like, sometimes when you are living in sin, you have more anxiety. Like, it's a part of that, but it's not always that way. Like, certainly in high school, when I was, like, actually living more in sin, I actually was more anxious. And a lot of my anxiety stemmed from, like, feeling like a hypocrite because I was living kind of a double life. But then there have been seasons in my life where I'm not living in sin. Like, I'm, like, I'm doing great, but I have anxiety. So it's not always attached to that, but it can be. I also think that, like, when the Bible says, do not fear, it's not so much of a, oh, because you're sinning. It's actually God's like, love saying, don't be afraid. You don't have to be afraid. Most every time that God says, do not fear in the Old Testament, he follows it by, for I am with you. So it's almost like this encouragement to someone who is naturally going to be afraid with what God's asking them to do. And then he's immediately attaching it with a promise, I'm gonna be with you. You don't have to be afraid. So it's not like sinful. It's human. It's natural. You're gonna have anxiety. But God's saying, look, you don't have to go through that. Like, you don't have to fear like all other men do, because I'm promising you that I'm with you. And if I'm with you, then what can man do to you? And so you have this, like, assurance. So I don't necessarily think it's sinful, but I do think, like, sin is anything that separates you from God. And in my case, I feel like a lot of times my anxiety did not separate me from God. It actually made me dependent on God. It led me to God. I think God, not that God caused my anxiety. I think he allowed me to have it for a time because it taught me how to depend on him and grow on him. But I think if anxiety is separating you from God in the sense of, like, okay, I know I shouldn't do this, but because I'm anxious and I'm not gonna stand up for myself, I'm gonna do it. Well, that's sin. So all that to say it's a kind of messy answer for, I don't think anxiety itself is sin. I think sometimes anxiety can actually be used to further you into your faith and dependency on God. But at the same time, can it be used in sinful scenarios? Yes. Does the enemy use it as a tool? Yes. And you have to kind of discern where you're at with that.

[Freddy]

Yeah, I. When I'm sitting with a client, like, kind of what I'm assessing is what's causing the anxiety. And if it's not clear, well, my mind jumps to a few different things. So obviously, like, you can just have natural Anxieties. If you're baseline, you're a more anxious person. So I think it's really important to know, like, who you are. If you have a natural baseline of you're going to be more anxious, you shouldn't compare that to someone else who doesn't struggle with that, because then maybe you are going to think like, oh, I'm sinful because I'm struggling with anxiety, which I agree with you. I don't think it's automatically a sin to struggle with anxiety. But I think there's also reasons alongside of if you're acting in sin. So if you've had something traumatic happen to you, you're probably gonna struggle with some form of anxiety. If you're going through grief, you're gonna struggle with some form of anxiety. And those are not typically induced by your sin, right? Like you might be anxious about something traumatic that happened to you, and then you're constantly feeling anxious every time you're triggered by it. That's not really you actively sinning. That's more of a product of your environment, of sin, of the fallen world. And so I think it's really important to know, because if you're gonna treat your anxiety like it's a sin, then you're gonna be so condemning to yourself, you're gonna be so harsh on yourself, which is in turn gonna make your anxiety worse. And I see that a lot. I see a lot of the times people are either so harsh on their anxiety or they're actively continuing in their sin. And they're like, why am I? And it's like, well, because you're doing exact. You say you follow the Lord, but you're doing exactly what his scripture says not to do. And so that's kind of the Lord's kindness to lead you through, to repentance through anxiety. Because he's not allowing you to completely fall flat on your face. He's allowing you to see, like, wait a second. I have control over my actions. I can change this and hopefully change the fruit of it, which is anxiety.

[Christian Huff]

I love that. And now that I'm thinking about Scripture, like so many of the anxiety scriptures are like, come near to me, you know, draw near to me. You know, if. What is the one. If you're anxious about anything, like a prayer petition, present your request to God. Or when it talks about, like, how through thanksgiving and gratitude, like, all of it is more attached to coming to the Lord, giving your burden to the Lord, clinging to the Lord, drawing near to him. Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be afraid for I am your God. Like there's such like a unity with like someone who's afra God who is all powerful. And that's not like the same tone that sin is addressed with. Yeah, it's like flee from it. Don't do that like that. It's like always like bad. Whereas anxiety is like an invitation to come near.

[Unknown]

You know, I think that's really good. I think y'all articulated it good because I feel like, I feel like it can be a double edged sword to be like it is a sin. It's not a sin because there's always going to be someone listening that's forms their own opinion and you know, believes it very much a certain way. But I mean if you look at the, the Bible, I mean I feel like you could say when Abraham goes into Egypt and tells Pharaoh that his wife is his sister, or Moses when God approaches him, or when Elijah is running from Jezebel and he asks the Lord that he would die, that's like.

[Christian Huff]

Allowing anxiety to lead you to sin.

[Unknown]

Yeah, but I'm saying like people in the Bible wrestle with that. I mean even. And I would argue that Jesus in the garden when he's sweating blood, asking the Father to take the cup, I would say that's a form of him being anxious about something. And obviously Jesus is perfect and didn't sin. So there's your kind of argument right there. But yeah, I think if anything, because you're also establishing two bases of nervousness versus anxiety, I feel like they can kind of intertwine in a sense. But yeah, I think if you're anxiety presses you towards God, I think that's good. I think that's healthy. But I feel like if it causes you to doubt and to truly let self shame kind of rule you and you always feel condemned. You always feel. And it's condemnation, condemnation over conviction, then yeah, I would say that it's not healthy if you're currently living in a state that just pushes you away from it.

[Christian Huff]

It's really like what do you do with it? Where does your anxiety bring you? What is it?

[Unknown]

That's what James says. He who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it for him, that is a sin. So like for you, like, like we all have different, you know, things we struggle with. We all have different ways that we kind of combat it. So like, if you continue doing what you know is wrong, then for you it is a sin.

[Christian Huff]

My family loves taking pictures. We never want to miss a good photo op. And y'all, we have so many awesome moments captured in photos and for most people, those would just get lost in your camera roll on your phone. But I gave my mom the amazing Aura digital picture frame and she can now put all of her memories on display. Aura was named the number one digital picture frame from Wirecutter for lots of reasons. It is super easy to set up. There are lots of different frames and sizes and styles to choose from. And it comes with unlimited storage with no hidden fees or subscriptions to keep up with. All you need is a free Aura app and a WI fi connection to upload as many pics and videos as you want. Aura makes it easy breezy to show your favorite moments right from your phone. Plus the display quality is absolutely amazing. It shows your pictures in true color and automatically adjusts to the level of light in the room. When you turn out the lights at night, your aura frame will turn itself off to save energy, which is so awesome. You can even personalize and preload an aura frame for a gift that's perfect right out of the box. So that's pretty cool. If you're going to give this to as a gift but you already want it to be personable, you can do that. I've given this as a gift to so many people. It's such a great gift. My mom has one, My mother in law actually has one. Every time we go to my mother in law's house. It's so fun for us to look at all the new pictures she's uploaded. And as well we can upload to it which is just really fun because it makes it a community thing. Right now you can save on the perfect gift that keeps on giving by visiting or frames.com and for a limited time, listeners can get $20 off their best selling Carver mat frame with the code whoa. That's Aura A U R A frames.com with the promo code Whoa. Don't forget to mention that we sent you so that you can support this show. We're so grateful and I know you guys are gonna love it. Terms and conditions will apply. Freddie, I love that you said too. It totally has to do with what your baseline is as a person. And this morning, probably because we're having this conversation, you know, Instagram hits you with like what you've been talking about.

[Freddy]

Yeah.

[Christian Huff]

And this like meme popped up and it was, it was pretty funny. It was like, girlfriend drank as much caffeine that could kill a horse, listened to true crime all day and has the nerve to tell me at Night. Like, I'm feeling anxious. It was like, yeah, you're feeling anxious because you drink so much caffeine. You just listen to true crime all day, whatever, and, like, you're gonna come to me and, like, act surprised that you're anxious. And I think that that is so true. Like, a lot of anxiety, too. You do have to take ownership for what you're adding to your life. That's making you anxious. And people do not take that kind of ownership. And they're like, why feel anxious? And it's like, okay, back it up. What could have possibly led you here? And it's pretty obvious, you know, like, for me, I. I did have to cut out caffeine for a long time in my life. Like, I cut it out for two years, and it was super helpful. Maybe it was. Maybe it was longer.

[Unknown]

That was a lot longer.

[Christian Huff]

No, it was. Yeah, it was like three, four years. Anyways, I cut it out for a long time, and it was super helpful because caffeine would make my heart beat faster and it would make my body feel anxious. And then until my mind, something's wrong and da, da, da. I cannot listen to true crime. I do not watch scary things. I do not, like, let myself. I do not feed my anxiety. It's not something I want to battle with. It's not something I want to have. So, like, I'm not gonna invite anxious things in my life. It's the same outside of the natural stressors that life will bring me. It's like, we already have a lot to be anxious about. I don't need, like, extra anxiety.

[Freddy]

Well, it's funny you say that, Christian, that, like, it's similar to other struggles, because it's so shocking to me when clients come in and they tell me all that they're doing to provoke their anxiety, and then they still ask me why they're anxious. Because you would think that people are like, well, it's like anything else. Don't stop your own spiral. But one of the biggest things in counseling is teaching people how to stop their spiral, which to some people sounds like common sense. Like, well, you just don't do what causes you to go down that spiral. But it's like such a lack of self control. And that's what I see. And like, nine times out of 10, when you really boil down the anxiety, it's a self control thing. It's a control thing. It's. I want to be able to control what I can't control, and that's why I'm anxious. I want to be able to do what I want to do without the results of feeling anxious. And that's why I'm anxious. And it's really simple. I was actually with a client this week and she was like, that's so simple, yet so hard. And I was like, you're right, it's hard because it requires constant self control. It's not a one time decision to say, I'm not going to do that. You have to make that decision every time that there's a movie option to go, I'm not gonna watch a scary movie. Even though it might be easier for you now because you know the consequences. It's like when you first started that, it was, it was not as easy.

[Christian Huff]

I remember leaving a like, party is not like a crazy party, which is a lot of friends over at a house and they all wanted to watch a scary movie in high school. And I was like, oh, no, I don't want to watch this. Like, let's pick something else. And then it was like, clear. Everyone was like landing on this. And I was like, no, really, can we please not watch this? They're like, no, we really all want to watch this. I just like, okay, I'm not trying to be whatever, but I'm going to have to go home because I actually cannot watch this. And I think one other person ended up coming to my house with me. But I was like, I just, I'm not willing to do it, like, because I know the consequences. But I do remember it being harder back then because like, you feel embarrassed or you feel whatever, but I'm like, okay, one night to y'all, that's like fun. And scary is going to be like weeks for me. And not even just weeks. I will remember things that scare me. Like years ago at like midnight when I'm laying there, like that one time I heard that story, you know, I don't even want to hear the story, you know. So, yeah, I feel like once you, once you realize the piece that's available to you and you realize the value of it, you're not going to be as willing to allow anxiety to come in, in dumb ways. Like watching a movie that's just not even worth it. Whereas like, for me, though, what Christian loves to say now, which cracks me up, he's like, do you have to like, just work yourself up? Cause like, I like won't have anxiety for so long. And then like one day I have like a massive, like, everything feels overwhelming, anxious. Like, not like panic attack like I used to, but kind of just like, he's like, can you just, like, actually space it out a bit? Like, could you just have, like, a little anxiety here and there instead of, like, one mass a day?

[Unknown]

It's like, imagine you're boiling water, and it's like, just room temperature. And then all of a sudden, it's.

[Christian Huff]

Like, there's no warning.

[Unknown]

No. It's like, it goes from room temperature to, like, in the st. It skipped the 212, and it's like, it's just out of the pot. And there's no, like, steady boy.

[Christian Huff]

Why I said that is why I'm saying that is because used to, like, it was more obvious what was, like, my spiral, you know, like, it would be more silly things. Like, I would. Oh, gay. I watch this, I listen to this. Something happened. Somebody made a weird comment on my Instagram. And, you know, because back in the day, I mean, really, still, but, you know, that's been a part of my life, and people have done weird things, and I've had crazy people do weird things.

[Unknown]

Now you have a super sweet, awesome job, thankfully.

[Christian Huff]

But that caused a ton of anxiety in my life for a year, especially when I was single, like, before we got married, because I was, like, so scared so it was gonna happen, but, like, it was more obvious. Whereas now it's not like, things that are. Oh, that would make you anxious. It's more like, life gets busy. The kids were sick, and I'm trying to hold everything together, and then I'm trying to do all the work that I'm gonna do, and then I'm like. Like, I get too busy, and I'm taking care of the kids, and then all of a sudden, it's like, oh, my gosh, my calendar is so full, and I'm not gonna have a single day to take a break, and I haven't seen my friends, blah, blah, blah. And I'm like. And then boom. But it's like, I didn't really realize it until it just hits me. It's like. Like, getting overworked or whatever. Busy.

[Unknown]

It's like there's, like, a little turd on the ground, and it just.

[Christian Huff]

You should have quit with your boy.

[Unknown]

Like, flies up and it just hits the fan, and it's just so. Like. It's like a little turd to, like, diarrhea.

[Christian Huff]

Okay. Wow.

[Freddy]

The comic. The comic relief in this is good.

[Christian Huff]

We should have stopped with a boiling pot of water analogy.

[Unknown]

I just wanted to keep going.

[Christian Huff]

All that to say, but my point.

[Unknown]

My point earlier was that anxiety. It's like, Other stuff that we can wrestle with, which. This is kind of a tough thing because, like, comparing it to actual sins.

[Christian Huff]

But, like, I'm sorry, I can't recover from diarrhea.

[Unknown]

That was a great visual.

[Christian Huff]

Actual sin. No, I know. You literally just entered and hit the fan, turned to diary.

[Unknown]

Hey, this is a Monday episode. It's not a Wednesday one. You know, we're fine. But my point was, like, for instance, if you're struggling with lust and you look at accounts you're following, it's like, that's going to feed that. Or if you struggle with jealousy, certain friend groups that you have or certain things that you constantly are feeling yourself with, like, that's going to feed your jealousy. Are you still laughing at my analogy? It was spot on.

[Christian Huff]

I like what you're saying now, but I can't stop laughing. And now I'm sweating, though.

[Unknown]

But that's. That's my point. It's like, if, you know, you're anxious, whatever you feel makes you anxious, it's gonna continue to feed it, and you're gonna continue to just kind of live in that.

[Christian Huff]

So your point is really good. Yeah, thanks. The only reason I was saying what I would say is, like, no, what you said was, my life is so different than what it used to be, where I don't live in that space. I'm not doing, like, obvious things, so get myself there. But I feel like the anxiety I described is probably really common for a lot of moms. Like, like, just. You get overwhelmed. It's not even, like, as much anxiety because it's not an anxiety attack. I don't, like, feel like I'm dying or, like, irrationally think I need to, like, go to the hospital or my heart is going to. Whatever. It's not that. It's like, I just feel really overwhelmed, and then I get anxious about, like, when am I going to get to rest? And it's so. It's, like, more natural. I feel like it's more, like, standard, but I shouldn't let myself get there, is what I'm also saying.

[Freddy]

I think a lot of it, too, is we don't have the right language when we're feeling different versions of anxiety. Like, you're probably just feeling overwhelmed, but you might have some similar emotional experiences, like you did when you were having true anxiety. That's just translating, but it doesn't necessarily mean you're anxious. And I think that's so true. So much of, like, what. When we label anxiety over everything, then everyone says they're anxious when in Reality. Like, maybe you're not. Maybe you're just exhausted, maybe you're overwhelmed, maybe you're stressed, maybe you're depressed. Like, it could be so many different things other than anxiety. But anxiety is just a word that we use in our daily lives.

[Unknown]

You have like stress, like even like the fear of God or like reverence. Like, you know, like there's. I feel like there's, there's certain things that are like close in proximity, but like, yeah, it is ultimately like, what you decide to do with that. Like, does it push you away? Yeah. Does it bring you closer?

[Christian Huff]

That's good.

[Unknown]

Like nervousness, stress, anxiety, fear.

[Christian Huff]

Man, we actually have like hit so many of these questions without reading them. But one thing I did want to talk about kind of circling back is how do you work through anxiety as a couple and help each other lean on God? We can talk about our, our experience. Like we kind of already mentioned. I mean, it is hard to work through anxiety as a couple because like I said, anxiety can kind of breed anxiety. Like when we both feel anxious, it can like, like overwhelm both of us because then we like, can convince ourselves something screwed. That's not, you know, And I think that's the thing with anxiety. It will lie to you and it will create a false reality that you begin to think is real. And then that makes you super anxious. And so if a kid's sick, it's all of a sudden like, oh my gosh, I do want to take him to the hospital. Something's wrong. Like, we go to like way extreme. Instead of just being like, they're okay, get them Tylenol, cool them down. Like, I feel like we have to be aware of our anxiety and when we're having it, it so that one of us can speak truth in the moment and like, bring us back to a good place. Because in a dynamic where one struggles and one doesn't, the other one's able to kind of speak more truth and a little more level headed. And there have been times in our life where we've been through that and that's been awesome. But there's just been like very real times when you're parenting together and going through life together and throwing the same life craziness that you're gonna have the same reaction. And in those moments, one thing that's been helpful is we have reached out to outside people. He is a very strong friend group with guys and like I do with the girls and Freddy's in that group and like, super grateful for that. But also we do go to a counselor too. Like we call Miss Tara and walk through it with her. And like we get someone outside of the situation to speak into it. And of course God too, in prayer and all that absolutely has a part of it for sure, but I feel like a lot of it is getting someone else's perspective to speak truth into it. But do you see a lot of couples that go through anxiety together? Like, have you talked to people like that, y'all? I know I cannot be the only one who struggles with my sleep schedule. It can be so hard to find the perfect sleeping temp that keeps me, you know, not waking up shivering or covered in sweat. And not finding that balance can have a huge impact on sleep quality and overall health. Thankfully, Miracle Maid helps you find the perfect balance between cool, comfy and cozy. Their sheets are made with silver infused fabrics inspired by NASA to help regulate body temperatures all night long so you'll get better quality sleep every single night. And did you know that your bed sheets can actually have more bacteria on it than a toilet seat? Absolutely disgusting. Well, all the bacteria can clog up to your pores and lead to more breakouts and acne. But Miracle sheets are also self cleaning and the silver infused fabric prevents up to 99.7% of bacterial growth. So Miracle sheets stay fresher up to three times longer as well as giving your skin a break from poor clogging bacteria. So you'd think that a set of sheets with this awesome features would cost a fortune, but Miracle made sheets are actually so luxuriously comfortable, but without the luxury price tag. Getting Miracle sheets means that you're getting the best sleep money can buy. We absolutely love our Miracle sheets. The first time we slept on them we were absolutely sold. We went online, bought more for our guest bed and even more so that anytime we change our sheets we have Miracle made to go. We love them. So you can upgrade your sleep this year. Go to trymiracle.com Whoa. To try miracle made sheets today and whether you're buying them for yourself or as a gift for a loved one, you can order today and save over 40% off. And if you use our promo code Whoa. At checkout, you'll get a free three piece towel set and save an extra 20%. Miracle is so confident in their product it's backed with a 30 day money back guarantee. So if you aren't 100% satisfied, you'll get a full refund. Upgrade your sleep with Miracle made. Go to trymiracle.com Whoa. And use the code Whoa. To claim your free three piece towel set and save over 40% off again, that's trymiracle.com Woe to treat yourself.

[Freddy]

I would say it's more of like one individual feeling anxious and not knowing how to communicate it, not knowing how to talk about it, and then feeling trapped in it. I haven't seen a lot of couples because that's kind of. I see more of the individuals in counseling. But I mean, to your point, it is. It's hard when you both have the same experience because then you can feed it. I think the, the best thing that I've seen in the counseling setting, but also personal life is like learning to take time apart from it to where you're not feeding it, even though you both know you're on the same playing field. Like you're both doing the same thing, but maybe taking a step back to not talk about it. In a sense where you're building on the anxiety. You can be practical and you can resolve the issue at hand, but you're not overly investing more time into it than it's needed.

[Christian Huff]

No, I think that's good. Cause I think for us, typically with other topics of anxiety, we can help each other. Cause we're not feeling it. But because we both experience a traumatic situation with our daughter being sick. When our kids get sick, we both experience the same trauma response of like being anxious about it. And because what Honey went through was a like crazy worst case scenario moment where it's like, that's why we jump to the worst case scenario. She can have the flu, but it's like, is it just the flu? Like, you know, it's like, what if we're missing something? Should we, you know, it's all that, where we feed on that, but we have to take time to like, zoom out and be like, this is what it is. And speak truth to it. Which I think a lot of anxiety is that like speaking truth to it is saying like. Because someone said, how do you get out of the. Not the spiral, but how do you calm yourself down? You know, whenever you have an anxiety attack, like, you have to speak truth. Like one time, I remember this is kind of a like funny, not funny, but like ironic situation. Because we were having that Ello sister retreat and this girl was having an anxiety attack. And they like come to me and they're like, say, this girl's having an attack. I'm like, oh no. And they're like, no. Like, what do we do? Like, you're in charge. And I'm like, oh my gosh. Like, I'M in charge of this retreat and responsible for all these girls. And there's a girl having anxiety attack. And, like, I'm. I struggle with anxiety. Like, I don't know what I'm going to do. You know, this is years ago. And so I go up to her. This is our first time to, like, host a retreat, too. Like, now we have. We've done this a lot, but this is my first time. So I was nervous, like, how I was going to respond. And so I'm talking to her, and she's so anxious, like, I need to go to the hospital. And it was so sad because it looked just like me. Like, she was saying everything like I used to say. And I'm like, have you eaten anything? And she's like, no. And she's like, I actually just drink a cold brew. And I was like, okay. I was like, well, I really think, like, you haven't eaten anything all day. You traveled. You just drink a cold brew, which has, like, more caffeine than typical caffeine. Like, I think that's making your body feel anxious and you're in a new place. And she's like, no, no, I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I was like, well, I was like, you can breathe because you're. You're talking right now. Like, I can tell you're breathing, but, like, I know I used to do the same thing. Like, you think you can't. Like, your mind's convincing you of something that's not true. I was like, I know you can't. She's like, no, I really can't. Well, that was, like, during COVID years. And so we all had those oxygen things, you know, you can, like, literally see. So I was like, hey, I'm gonna run down to my house. Cause it was really close. I was like, I'm gonna go get my oxygen thing. I'm put it on you. That way we can see. So the girls all set with her. We went to my house, got the thing, and I put it on her. And her oxygen was, like, 99, you know? I was like, okay, see that you can breathe. And she, like, sat there and, like, watched it, and it calmed her so much. And I think it was just a really cool visual of, like, when truth. It was like, okay, I actually can breathe. Like, I actually am okay, you know? And I think sometimes it takes that within an anxiety attack to, like, bring yourself to truth. And I have to tell myself that too. Like, I can breathe. I'm okay. God, is with me. What. Whatever I think's gonna happen. Even if, and this is what my counselor tells me, she goes, okay, even if it does happen, are you okay?

[Freddy]

Yeah.

[Christian Huff]

Yes. Why are you okay? Because God's got you. And even if, even if you're not okay, eternity in heaven, like, you have to get to, like, the root and then be like, even if the worst thing happens, I'm okay. You know, I do that with my.

[Freddy]

Clients all the time. I, I. You play along with the what if. Okay, so, like, what if that does happen? What. What's the worst case? What's the worst situation that you could possibly imagine? And you kind of have to play that out to go. It's really not as scary. And then there is actually no good in playing out that worst case scenario in an anxiety attack. Because even if that worst case does happen, the preparation you feel like you're doing doesn't actually do you any good. It doesn't. You're not gonna be better off if that does actually happen by thinking it's gonna happen in preparing yourself. I remember when I was going through anxiety about dating because I was a new. I had been following the Lord for a while, but this was my first relationship, and it was with Parker, of dating someone that was a genuine believer. And so I had so much anxiety, and it was, was mainly touched by shame and guilt of my past. But I was talking to someone about it, and she had me read Psalm 23. And it's like, I know that psalm, so I really wasn't, like, thinking that much into it. But then when I got to the very end, it says, surely your goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life. It, like, clicked for me in that moment of, like, the Lord is my shepherd. I'm following him. And what that means is, no matter what I go through, like, his goodness and his mercy follow me. So it's just like this piece of no matter what happens in my dating relationship, no matter what happens in my life, like, that's what I go back to, is, like, surely your goodness and mercy will follow me. Just the same thing you were saying.

[Christian Huff]

I love that I, I love listening to, like, memoirs and audiobooks, but one of the reasons I love to listen to them because I listen to pretty, like, extreme stories. Like, the one I'm listening to right now is called the Happiest man on Earth. And, and it's a story about a man who survived, like, the worst concentration camps. Like, and it was, it's just unbelievable. But it's titled the happiest man on Earth. And you're like, the depth of the worst part right now. And I'm like, how is this gonna. Like, how is he going to become the happiest man on Earth? You know, because this is, like, truly the worst of the worst. But, like, he has all these, like, inspirational things along the way that you're like, whoa. Like, how did you find joy in that? But. But he did. And he's like, life is, like, totally what you perceive it, like, how you receive it and, like, perceive it to be. And it's, like, just so powerful. But one of the reasons I love listening to books like this is because it's not that it turns at the end of these stories where it's like, oh, wow. And then everything got better and he got abundantly more like, no, he lost his parents, he lost his family. The bad thing happened. But he made it out. He had a completely different perspective on life. God had him in whatever way that looks like for God, for goodness and mercy to follow. Redemption somehow happens. And, like. And at the end of the day, this man has passed away now because everyone does. And, like, where's the hope to come? Heaven, you know? So it's like when you really work it out in the nitty gritty, like, you don't even find your peace at the end of the story. Like, you find your peace, like, at the end of life. Like, in the, like, eternity to come. And so I think that's the thing when we were walking through. We walked through honey, that brought forth so much anxiety, had to wrestle out with God, is I remember, like, trying to go through the counseling mode. Like, if the worst thing happens, is it okay? And I was like, no, it's not okay. It's not okay if the worst thing happens. Like, I will not be okay. Like, just being, like, so mad about it and frustrated and anxious and, like, I can't handle it, and then realizing I gotta work that out with God. Like, this is something that I have to surrender to God and know. Like, honey is God's child first. You know? Like. Like, he created her. He knit her together in my womb. He. Like, she is his. And he has blessed me beyond measure to be her mom, you know? And, like, I'm going to pray for her. I'm going to believe with her. I'm going to be there every single waking second of her life and, like, loving her and supporting her and cheering her on. But, like, I had to. I had to get with the Lord on what that meant to parent her. And like, how to combat my anxieties in stewarding life. And I feel like, I feel like you don't have to go through an extreme situation in parenthood to have the million anxieties that come with the fact that your heart is outside of your body, you know, and like, you're just gonna be anxious about that. What are they doing? Are they okay? Did they breathe weird? Did they cough weird? Is everything. Am I missing something? And, and that to me, that started like when they're in the womb, like, is everything okay about pregnancy? Why did I feel this? Well, like, you already get those anxieties because it's not, not bad. It's, it's natural because you love so much, like you love that person so much. And somebody asked about mom anxiety. That's a, a common question that I get. And so I wanted to speak to that too, because I think sometimes you go through situations where it's like, deep and you got to like, really wrestle with it. And we have so many friends who've gone through like, truly having sick children and losing children and, and seeing that's been devastating. And then we've had moms who've had very healthy kids and healthy lives, but really struggle with anxiety, you know, and so I feel like regardless of your circumstance, you got to get a reign on it.

[Freddy]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Christian Huff]

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[Freddy]

Go to LinkedIn.com results to claim your credit.

[Christian Huff]

That's LinkedIn.com results. Terms and conditions apply. LinkedIn, the place to be, to be. One thing I think we, we should talk about because we've, we've talked about scripture so much and someone said, any tips for believing the scripture about anxiety? I know about the scriptures, but I struggle to believe it for myself. Myself. We brought up scripture a lot. And I would say this is a hard one. Cuz I remember when people used to throw scripture at me like when I was having an I attacks. And I'd be like, no, not helping.

[Unknown]

Not help.

[Christian Huff]

Not right now. Yeah, like, because I know it. Okay. Like I, I know I should believe that. Like right now I'm just like, it's not working. Struggling, you know, But I think what, what clicked for Me. And when scripture resonated with me is whenever I understood it as a bigger picture than just like, oh, you know, Philippians like, 4:13. Like, it can't just be, like, one scripture that you, like, pull out and you're like, okay, I'm gonna attach this to the way I feel and hope it makes me feel better. It's so much bigger than that. Like, it is a. Like, I have to realize my anxiety is not gonna be, like, cured or healed, like, by a scripture. Like, it is healed by my relationship with the all powerful sovereign God who is my father, and, like, my identity as a child of his. And. And it's so cool because, like, remember that time we were on the go court with honey, and she kept saying, like, daddy's got me. Daddy's got me. And I was like, that is like, a picture of clinging to your dad for, like, comfort and, like, support and, like, really working through not being anxious through, like, a scary situation. And when you understand, like, okay, he's my father, so he's got me, so I don't have to be afraid and wrestle that out. Then all of a sudden, the scriptures mean something to you because then those are words from your father. So it's like. Like, this isn't just like a random scripture. I'm just trying to attach to my life. It's like, okay, no, the word says, like, I don't have to fear for God. You are with me. And because I know who you are, that changes everything about my current situation. And so I'm actually no longer afraid because what can man do to me? If you're on my side and if you've promised me heaven and hope and eternity, and you have that for my family and you have peace and like, that I don't have to be afraid. And so it's more than just, like, like, putting a band aid on it. It's like, really healing your heart and understanding what that power really means.

[Unknown]

I think, in a way. And this, hopefully this does not get, like, misconstrued. I feel like, in a way, scriptures, like, one off, like, 100 verses on anxiety. I feel like that's kind of a band aid.

[Freddy]

Absolutely.

[Unknown]

But I feel like actually reading the Bible is healing.

[Freddy]

Absolutely.

[Unknown]

So I feel like, yeah, Philippians 4:13. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Like, that's great. But, like, maybe you should. Should read the whole book of Philippians.

[Christian Huff]

Yeah. You know, like, it's like with this book, what I'm reading, I can't quote one thing the Happiest man on earth has said, like, I can't tell you, like, and he said this, and it changed my whole perspective. His life has changed my perspective. So it's like, you. You can't just say, like, okay, this verse and not know any context. Like, what I mean. I mean, you can. Because Scripture, I didn't lie. But it's like. But when you know the story, it's like, if you read Moses, like, that's an amazing thing for overcoming anxiety. There's not. Like, it doesn't say, like, anxiety. So you're not gonna, like, pull out of a hundred scriptures with anxiety. But if you read that, that's a man overcoming anxiety, realizing that the Lord is with him, that the great I am is him, and then he does something so much greater than what he was capable of. Yeah.

[Unknown]

Well, I'm saying, yeah. Not that this is a bad thing, but it's like if on your mirror in the morning, you're brushing teeth and it's like two verses to help you with anxiety, it's like, that's great. But like. Like, actually get in the word, Actually read the story. Actually see how people truly did wrestle with things that were scary and anxious and frightening, but how God brought them out. Now don't just read Jeremiah 29:11. Like, find other plans I have for you. Like, which is great, but read the whole book of Jeremiah and see what made him get up to that point.

[Christian Huff]

Think about Joshua. So many times people quote Joshua, like, be strong, courageous. Do not be terrified. Like, for the Lord your God is with you. But it's like when you read Joshua, that is Joshua 1 and that is God talking to Joshua, who's like, taking on the huge mantle, like, host promised land. Like, this is crazy. And he's like, you're the guy. Like, you would be terrified. And he's like, hey, don't be scared. Like, be strong, courageous. Like, I got you. Meditate on the Word. You know, like, I got you. I'm gonna be with you. And then he goes on defeats, like, 31 kings, all this crazy stuff. And, like, you go all the way back and God promised him, like, I have got you. I'm going to be with you. Like, that's the power of reading scripture and understanding. Like, that God is your God. So cool.

[Freddy]

I have so many thoughts, but I'll say too, I love what you said because I think that's so accurate. Like, if you think about people in the Bible, they can quote scripture, but it's not because they're like, just googling a piece of scripture, it's like they know the story. They know the beginning, the middle, and the end of what they're memorizing, right? So it's like, when I think about that, I'm like, man, their anxiety. If we're going to say that, like, people in the Bible had anxiety, their anxiety must have been so much more manageable because they knew at the end of the day, like, God is their father, God is going to provide for them versus us. Just having to google something and then reading it and having to believe it over an anxious moment. It's like they had the foreknowledge to be prepared for these moments where we just try to, like, put the band aid over it in the moment, and we're like, oh, it's not working. The Bible must not work. But it's like, no, that's the purpose. Isn't to, in the moment of an anxiety attack, go read a scripture, and it calm you down like that. Like, there's so many things you should be doing in preparation for your anxiety. And I feel like one thing that we learn in grad school is, like, the hierarchy of needs. And I think about, even with anxiety, if you try to put a band aid of scripture over your anxiety, like, you're going to be confused as to why it's not working. But it's like, like, you have needs before that that need to be met of, like, physically, you might need to eat. You might need to, like, focus on your breathing so that you can feel like you're not suffocating and dying before you go to read that scripture, to try to let it help you. So it's just in that moment, you're not using common sense, but letting someone else speak that common sense over you.

[Christian Huff]

That helps so much. Like, when I wrote Live Fearless, there's a chapter called, like, being a friend of Fear. And it's like having that for the person going through it. Because sometimes you can't think rationally when you're in the moment. Like, you need. Which is what was so helpful for when we first got married. Like, you can see it and, like, speak the truth. You'd be like, hey, go put your hands under warm water. Because that always helped me. Like, you would be like.

[Unknown]

Which I still help.

[Christian Huff]

No, you still help me so much. But I just mean I don't struggle with that as much as I used to. So not on you. I just don't really struggle with that. But you would, like, tell me to do things or, like, speak the scripture over me. Which was, like, so helpful, as opposed to me having to, like, muster up strength in that moment. Moment. But I think, too, like, to say, I love how you said, like, it's not just a Google search. You know, people back in the day, it must be so much more manageable. And I think it's so interesting because you might say, oh, well, yeah, they had a fire by. In a cloud by day. And then, like, they had the sun and moon stood still. Like, God was, like, on their side. But then, like, you read the Word and it's like, but they dreamed of living in our day when the Spirit of God was inside of them, when it wasn't just outside and a fire and a cloud. And it wasn't just, you know, the sun's. It was like, no, that what's happening there is in you. And that's what Jesus says. Like, when I leave, my spirit's gonna come. And then the spirit falls on the people, and we get to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. So it's like, no, we actually have, like, more power because that power of God that they followed is living inside of us. And so that's when it's like, activate. You're like, hold on a second. I haven't been given a spirit of fear. I've been given a spirit of God and want, a power, love and a sound mind. Mind. And it's like, that's like, okay, that's a scripture that I read. But, like, I understand what that means. Spirit of God is living inside of me. Like, that's wild. And so I think about that sometimes because I look back, that's how I used to think. Like, oh, it would have been so much easier if, like, God, you were just, like, literally showing up. If you sent an angel, it would be totally cool. I would be so fine right now. And I'm like, okay, But I have spirit of God. Yeah, you know?

[Freddy]

Yeah, it's good.

[Unknown]

That's good. Ra.