Joy of the Lord | Girls Gone Bible
58:51 Share

Prescription products require completion of an online medication consultation with an independent healthcare provider through the LifeMD platform and are only available if prescribed. Subscription required. Individual results may vary. Additional restrictions apply at LifeMD.com. Read all warnings before using GLP-1s. Side effects may include a risk of thyroid C-cell tumors. Do not use GLP-1s if you or your family have a history of thyroid cancer.

If you've struggled for years to lose weight and have given up hope, did you know you can now access GLP-1 prescription medications through LifeMD? LifeMD is now offering eligible patients online access to GLP-1s, the breakthrough prescription medication that can help you lose body fat and weight. Listen to what people are saying. I've been able to live my normal lifestyle, and I've lost 20 pounds already. Changed my life. I wasn't expecting it to shut off the food noise. This was life-altering, and if I can do it, I feel like anybody can do it.

And here's the best part. Your insurance may cover 100% of the cost of your medication. So go to TryLifeMD.com to have your eligibility checked right now. Get started today at TryLifeMD.com. That's T-R-Y-L-I-F-E-M-D dot com.

Hi guys, I'm Ange. And I'm Ari. And we are Girls Gone Bible. We are a faith-based podcast. We talk about everything from mental health to relationships to anything in your everyday life. And most of all, we talk about the Bible and we talk about Jesus because we love Jesus so much here. And we always say, come as you are, just don't stay that way. That's cute. What's up, dog? Hi, what's up, babe?

The joy of the Lord is my strength. Preach! What's up, you guys? Man, we have a fun episode today. Ari and I, we had an idea and we're like, should we try to have an episode where we don't talk about anything sad the whole time?

We don't talk about anything sad the whole time. And we were like, you know what? That gives us an idea. Let's talk about joy. Every episode I'm yelling in the camera telling you to take authority of the thoughts. Take them captive. Hey, but you know what? So now. That's the thing, though. There's so much entertainment out there and there's so much fun, loving stuff, which is important. But people are suffering. They're really including us. We'll get to it. We're all in this together, guys.

What's up, Far? How was your weekend? Well, how was our weekend? I know. Kick it off. How was our weekend? Go ahead. Our weekend was amazing. Our weekend, you guys, we had a weekend of shows. So as you know, we're on tour right now. It's probably going to go like this. It's going to be a weekend of shows, a weekend off, a weekend of shows, a weekend off.

So we have this coming weekend off, but last weekend we were in Raleigh, North Carolina and Huntsville, Alabama, and we had two of probably the best nights of our lives. Oh, yeah. Oh, my gosh. These shows were so special. Five down, 45 more to go. We...

I love being in the room with you guys. We love what God does through these nights. And I think we like didn't even know really what to expect. And as always, God just always exceeds our expectations. Like we just have so much fun out there, but not in a way that like every moment is laughing because there's a lot of tears. It's very emotional. You know, Ari and I, we do have some laughs. We tell a couple of jokes and some stories that we've never told. But for the most part, I mean, it's a lot of fun.

it's our life. It's Jesus. It's what He's done. And a lot of it is heavy. A lot of it is emotional. So much of it is going based off of what the room is feeling. And we always ask God to speak to us when we're in the room with His children and speak to us while we're on stage. Lord, is there anything for somebody in this room? Is there any direction you want us to go in? What do you want us to preach about? What do you want us to talk about? While we'll go in with

of what to talk about and like a couple of things prepared. For the most part, every show has been different. We just have such a heart for not to over-spiritualize things, but like prophetic ministry in a way that like we, of course, can come up with so many ideas and so many things to say and

But we really have a heart for hearing God and for hearing exactly what He wants and for leaving room for the Holy Spirit. I think like Ari and I, I'll speak for myself, I lean so much charismatic in my faith to where I love a church service that like, of course, you have a plan. Of course, you have ideas. But like if the Holy Spirit wants to disrupt whatever you're doing, you leave, you make room for Him. That's right. I know what I mean. And so, and then I've also been to so many churches where it's very set like,

30 minutes of worship, 35 minute message. Every word is the same every single time. And there's, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, but I think for us, we want so badly. We have a vision of kind of like what we want.

God is forming us as speakers. He's forming us as preachers. He's forming this tour. And we are just so open to what God wants to do with us. And we just want His wisdom, His words, Him to take control. And yeah, we never want to have set expectations of what something has to look like and just really suppress the Spirit of God that has something He needs to say. Yeah, I think that's why we just love...

when Stephanie speaks, because that's what she does. She'll throw a whole service out. She'll be, or a whole message. Yeah, she will. And you just leave there feeling different, feeling like, wow, she really spoke to me. And we just, you guys mean so much to us. And we just want, we want to be able to serve you in that way. So it was so funny. So speaking of joy of the Lord, Angela and I are on the plane. We're coming home. This was, I was laughing so hard about this this morning.

She were sitting in aisle seats and...

We're like so engulfed in our Bibles and we're reading and we're like passing the Bibles, passing each other's. Because we're both in aisle seats and so we are being so annoying. Passing each other's Bibles to look at the revelation I just had in Philippians. And like we're going back and forth and like our eyes are bulging out of our head and we're so excited about the revelations we're having and I'm reading lines to her. Oh, look at this. Look what I discovered. And the guy in front of us looks behind and he goes,

Are you guys new to this? I don't know. He was like, you guys are acting like you just found like a new television series that you're excited about. We're like, yeah, no, this is our new...

exciting television series. It's the Bible. Actually, I literally go, no, we actually, we're binging our favorite TV show right now. It is so funny because we literally were like kids. We're like, oh my gosh, look at this. No, look at this. We're like reading the Bible. These poor people around us were reading the Bible.

It's just so funny that okay, and then the flight prior I end up I'm like in a window seat and you're in an aisle seat on the other side and there's a man sitting next to me and I'm talking to you over this poor man this poor guy is just trying to enjoy his life and I'm like, hey, we just mean are having to make a big decision on something.

And so we're like going through it and I'm like, but what about this? But what about this? But should we speak at this because of this and it's this and whatever and these speakers and it's like a ministry question. And then the guy looks at me and goes, hey, hey, hey, pray about it. And I was like,

You know Jesus? He goes, I'm a deacon. And literally, listen, I go, oh, no way. What's a deacon? He's telling me what's a deacon. Typical. The guy in front of him, so, I don't know, maybe it was a loving rebuke. He turns around and goes, don't you think you should know what a deacon is before you go speak about Jesus? And I go, probably, buddy.

He qualifies to call, not calls to qualify. Like, darn. He didn't say he was a deacon. He said he was Jewish. And leave him alone. I know. Us two together, it's like not even normal. The other guy who said he was. Because I'm not Jewish. I don't know. The other guy goes, when he was like, are you guys reading the Bible? Or is this your first time reading it? You're really into it. And then I asked him, I'm like, hey, you know Jesus? And he's like, yeah, something, something. No, we said he was Jewish. And I was like.

Are you Jewish? He goes, no. I go, I just said I know Jesus. I was like, he knows Jesus. She goes, no, he's Jewish. And I was like, what is going on right now? We had the whole plane upside down. It's not even okay. That first one, I swear, we had every single person in that plane praying. Like, we were literally, like, I feel like we were talking to every single person about Jesus. We had just left Huntsville, Alabama. So, of course, like, everyone's a believer. Yeah.

But it was just so funny. Yeah, that's what I was going to say. I was like, this is not calming, having a bunch of believers on a plane. That's not calming? That's not calming. Oh.

Oh, common. Like when we're in LA. No, you know what I mean? No one's like, but anyways. Yeah. So tour has been so, so amazing. And we just want to invite you guys to go to girlsgonebible.com slash tour and look at the dates and see if you guys have a date near you anytime soon. We really want you guys to come to these nights. I just, the response that we've been getting of people really feeling like people encountering the presence of God for the first time and like,

seeing God's glory, like seeing Jesus's face, like getting touched by the Holy Spirit, sometimes for the first time in their life has just been really, I mean, it is the greatest honor of our lives. We're so grateful and we want you guys to come. We want to see you. We get to hug you at the end. Like it's just the most beautiful night. There's worship. Like we have

fun and we see Jesus and like Jesus is there and everybody in the room is so expectant of something beautiful to happen and like God always meets us at our expectation so please come to one of our shows our next shows are in North Carolina it's Charlotte North Carolina and Charleston South Carolina on October uh September uh help me okay on October 4th we have a show

in Charlotte, North Carolina. On October 6th, we have a show in Charleston, South Carolina. And I am so excited to visit these places. I have been waiting very patiently. I always say, and that one place that I could see myself living is South Carolina. I've never been, but from the photos, it looks a lot like Nantucket vibes. I can't wait to go.

I'm so excited for this one. Our next partner will truly make a positive impact on the most important person in your life. No, I'm not talking about your wife or husband. I'm talking about your cat. Don't they say happy cat, happy life or something like that?

Cat food has been the same forever, and it's time for cat food to move into the 21st century. That's why you've got to try Smalls. It's time to make kibble a thing of the past. Smalls cat food is protein-packed recipes made with preservative-free ingredients that you'd find in your fridge

and it's delivered right to your door. That's why veterinarians.org rates Smalls 10 out of 10 for ingredient quality. Our best friend Carolina fed her two cats Smalls, and she is testifying today that she's never going back. Her cats prefer Smalls way more than their previous cat food, and she legitimately did a taste test. She put two bowls side by side, and they immediately went to Smalls. And we'll play a clip of it right now. Yummy, Leah. You like it?

Smalls was started back in 2017 by a couple of guys home cooking cat food in small batches for their friends. A few shortly years later, they served millions of meals to cats across the US. Carolina said that her old cat food was stinky and smelly. And she feels so much better knowing that she's feeding her cat real food and not burnt kibble. And she can finally open a packet of cat food and not get nauseous.

You can actually recognize the ingredients in a packet of Smalls food. And the team at Smalls is so confident that your cat will love their product that you can try it risk-free. That means they will refund you if your cat won't eat their food. Now is the time to make the switch to Smalls. Head to smalls.com slash ggb and use promo code ggb at checkout for 50% off your first order, plus free shipping.

That's the best offer that you'll find, but you have to use our code GGB for 50% off your first order. One last time, that's promo code GGB for 50% off your first order plus free shipping. And we have one more announcement before we start. We have been waiting to tell you guys this. It's been in the works for a little while. So much prayer has gone into this. We are going to launch something called GGB Plus on Supporting Cast. So Supporting Cast is basically this

site where we get to upload exclusive never-before-seen content and we are so excited because what we get to do here is so fun but there's a bit of a format and like

We have a very strict policy of like scripture is everything to us. The Bible means everything to us. And so often like we only have an hour in here. Sometimes we're in here for like way longer than that. And the episode is an hour and a half. But there's so much of our personal life and our personal hearts that we don't even get to share here. But on GGB+, on Supporting Cast, we will be sharing everything. And our first episode. Everything, huh? Yeah.

I don't know. Knowing us, I'll tell you, we filmed the first episode with a little camera. It is more raw and real. Like, I... Comfortable. We're more comfortable. So comfortable. We're comfortable here, but it's a completely different vibe. Like, here we know, like, we got to get to work. But there...

You never know what might come out because it's just so not... Like, it genuinely feels like we're alone with our friends. Yeah, yeah. And so our first episode, we basically took you guys on a backstage behind the scenes of, like, this whole weekend of going on tour. And then we sat and talked with you guys, and we talked about tour. We talked about spiritual burnout. We talked about singleness, relationships, settling, getting a little older, feeling like your time is running out. Like, we talked about so much. Yeah. And so...

We're announcing it now. We'll put it in the description. We want you guys to join GGB+. If you're willing, if you'd like to, it's just another way for us to connect with you. We're going to have these opportunities to do like Q&As with you guys, like very specific name by name.

situation and a situation where we are even going to do like live calls with you guys. We're going to pick people, do live calls. You tell us your issue, your circumstance, and we'll pray with you and try to speak into it. And we will deliver anything that we feel like is on our hearts from God for you. And so we're just so excited. And right in the comments, maybe you want to do like a Pibles

study even, a prayer session, you name it. So we'd love to hear your thoughts on just things we can do there. Yeah. I'm excited. Okay. So the joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord. Joy is everything. Everything. My gosh. My God. My God. Joy is everything, you guys. Ari and I...

Yeah, you don't want to be that. I'm sorry. I know we have to start. I have to tell them what you did. Never mind. No, go. We're on the plane right now, and I'm like, I don't know. What do you think about that? I won't get too deep what we're talking about. She goes, Angela goes, I don't know. What do you want to be like? This? Like snot? Do it. You want to be like that? No, we want to be happy, humble, joyful. Okay. No, we like... Man, joy is... You know what the thing about joy is? If I came on here...

A year and a half ago to talk about joy, I would be preaching up and down about joy. Yeah. I would be because joy is who I am. Yeah. Joy has not necessarily been who I am for a little while now. Wow. And yeah, we'll get into it, but...

It's so hard because joy means everything to me. And it has always been my main, like I preach about authority a lot because I know it so well. I used to preach about joy a lot. And I would tell people like, the joy of the Lord is your strength. Today is the day the Lord has made and we will rejoice in it and be glad. Don't let the devil steal your joy. He wants to take your joy away.

I've been in a situation where I've let the enemy take my joy a little bit for a little while. I think you're in the same boat as me where it's been a little bit tough and we'll get into that. But joy is not happiness. Joy and happiness are two completely different things. Happiness is like an elated feeling and about being pleased with an outcome. Um,

of your life or a certain circumstance, whereas joy is a spirit. Joy is a fruit of the spirit that lives within us because the resurrected Jesus lives within us. It is because of the spirit of God that lives within us that produces the fruit of joy. It is not based on your circumstance. Joy has absolutely saved my life. I look at someone like my mom. My mom, Christina,

the best woman in the world. She is the greatest woman on the planet. She has been through so much. She continues to go through so much. I've seen my mom endure a lot of suffering throughout her life.

and simultaneously be the most joyful person in the room who can be in the midst of so much pain and still float around with joy. I'll second that about Christina. I love you. She loves you so much. Ari and my mom are so close. It's the most beautiful thing in the world. Talk all day. You guys talk all day.

Whenever I'm not answering, they call each other and they're like, where is she? What is she doing? But yeah, so and I had gotten that from my mom and joy saved my life. Joy was amazing.

the thing that got me through a lifetime of tragedy. Yeah. You know, and joy was something that I always held on to because my circumstances could look really bad. I could be in the midst of a really hard situation of so much anxiety, of so much pain, but I was still able to laugh. I was still able to have joy. And it's something that is, it is so important and so valued. What is your experience like?

Well, I think for me, like you were, I've always had, my dad is the same. Like he always, no matter what he's going through, he just always is a light, you know? I have struggled with joy in my life because, well, first of all, I didn't have Jesus before. And now I've come into a place of being stripped in a different way, being stripped of everything.

Like we talked about, like our old selves into our new selves. And it's just been, it's, it's been difficult. It's been difficult rewiring my, my thoughts and my brain and be coming into this new identity of new Ariel and, um,

I'm someone who gets in my head a lot. So not letting the thoughts and the enemy get in my head and be able to take authority of it and not steal my joy because it can be very easy for me to believe those lies. So it's like something I always have to work through. I feel like I've come into this new era that has been like truly the greatest blessing of my entire life. I like...

I'm on my hands and knees every morning, like looking up being like, I don't know what I did to deserve this. Like, I thank you, Jesus. Thank you for providing. Thank you for loving me the way you do. Thank you for everything. Thank you for everything that you've given me. But then I'm on my hands and knees being like, I don't feel good sometimes. Like, I feel like lost a little bit. I'm feeling a lack of identity. I'm feeling...

I don't know what I'm feeling. I just don't feel good. Like I see like the tiredness in my eyes, like there's just a lack of happiness sometimes. Sometimes I don't know how to act. Like I'll be with a group of people and I don't know how to be because I'm in this new version of myself. And I grew up in Boston where, you know, we joke a lot and, you know, sometimes it's,

you know, there's swearing involved and there's, it's just like, it's, you're kind of free in that way. And I've come into like a woman of, a godly woman. And I, and, and that version of me is so beneath me. And so it's recognizing that, no, no, no, wait a minute. That's not you anymore. Like, it's okay. Like you can still be you, but not act that way anymore. So I'm like in a, I've been in a transition phase. Like I really have of,

Growing into this new version of me and not and being happy and settled in it while still shedding the old and learning. The pruning and the sanctification process can sometimes be very draining. And so that's why you need people and family and just Jesus and love to just be like, it's okay. Like everything's okay, you know? Yeah, totally. I think Ari and I have said a couple times like,

Sometimes we'll watch old videos of ourselves and we'll be like, man, why don't we laugh like that anymore? And I think it's so weird because you can be so grateful for something and not want to have it any other way while also recognizing that there are things to it that might not be easy. If you watch our first ever episode until now, you will see that

A complete transformation from beginning to end. From our testimony video till now, you see the anointing get stronger, the wisdom flow, God's spirit be in it, and you see the joy begin to dwindle a little bit. I think that there's a cost to ministry that two girls who have barely been to church couldn't have been prepared for. And again, it's so hard to say this because it's like,

How can you be like, I'm so grateful and I will suffer for the gospel for the rest of my life. But it's just the reality. And I've been blessed to talk to so many pastors and I have so many friends in ministry and they all deal with the same thing. Of course, the enemy is going to attack your joy because the joy of the Lord truly is our strength. Joy is the reason that it's like, it's like a cushion that helps you endure. Like it's what like, for me, it feels like joy holds me up.

When things are really bad, at least I have joy. That kind of, it's like joy is a grace and grace makes things like effortless. It makes things easy. When God's grace is on something, it could be a really hard situation, but somehow you just kind of move through it with a grace. It's effortless. And joy is kind of that grace for us where it helps us move through things effortlessly that should be really hard.

And so when we're doing something like ministry or raising children or trying to go to school or in a really difficult career, whatever you might be doing, and you need grace, you need God's grace to help it be effortless. God wants to give you joy and he gives you that joy. And then the enemy comes and he takes it away from you because that's the only strength that you might have. And he wants to take your strength away to inhibit you from being able to endure the trials and the tribulations of life.

And so for us, of course, we're in ministry and the devil wants to attack our joy. And of course, he wants to take the light away from us in our eyes. That's the one thing, like what you said, there are so many times where I'll be like, I never have social anxiety. I find myself having social anxiety sometimes. And I'm like, oh, why do I feel awkward? Like, why can't I just laugh? Like, there are moments where people will start laughing and I'll be like, haha.

Why am I not actually laughing right now? I know. It's because we're new to this. And we have, honestly, and this isn't like to be in victim mode whatsoever. It's not. It's just the reality of we were two girls who came from the world who were judged in very close eyes. And so...

We don't want to disappoint people and we want to act right. So we have come into this space where we don't want to sway or we want to do the right thing. And sometimes we can get in our head so much. So much. Yeah. That's just the reality of it. No. And that's not I love that you said that. Actually, I haven't even thought of it like that. I don't think that's victim me at all. I think it's so real.

But then there's like seasons for everything too. You know what I mean? Like right now we pray, Jesus, would you please, please, please after these shows because the joy after some live events for me personally and I think for you too, that's what goes completely. I am just like...

It gets hard for me. And then these shows, I said, Jesus, I want it to be different. You called us to this and I believe you to sustain us through it. And like, I am like, I don't, I know that your will for my life is not to be a shell of myself after I minister. Like, I know that that's not what you have for me. Like, of course you get tired. Of course you're

you're a little drained, but like to become a legitimate shell of myself where I can't find joy for the life of me, that is not what you want from me. - Right, no. - So we prayed our hearts out. God, would you minister to us just as much as we minister to other people? May we leave this weekend feeling more refreshed, more restored, more joyful, and with a stronger sense of identity and sense of self. And that's just what he did. And Ari, we had the best weekend. - The best. - We laughed so much. We had so much joy.

We had so much joy. And I just want to let you guys know how important it is to have, like, somebody. Because I had a moment. I always say this, but Angela's very stronger in the mind. She's been doing this walk, and she knows she's just good. Like, you see her. She's a slayer. I struggle with worth, with the thoughts, right? And so one night after the show, I just—

I have these thoughts that just defeat me sometimes. And Angela looked at me and she said, you know, you know what it is about you? You...

will convince yourself of the actual opposite that happened. And you'll literally like paralyze yourself. You literally let the enemy have it. And I like, right. It was like God had spoken through her to me in that moment. And I was like, you're right. And typically when somebody would say that to me, I wouldn't even listen to them and be like, yeah, yeah, yeah. And I just keep letting the thoughts and I'd let them have me in a chokehold.

She said that to me and I was like, wait a minute. Yes, you're right. And I talked through it to myself and I took authority of the thoughts and it was like a beautiful, beautiful breakthrough that I had. Like when I preach to you guys, it's literally because I'm walking through this with you. I just know how paralyzing the thoughts can be when you're someone who grew up

Not knowing how to take captive of thoughts. Not ever knowing how to love yourself. And so that is something that can paralyze your joy. I think what really freed you that night was I looked at you and I meant it with my whole heart. And I looked at you and I said, would you just, and that's why it goes with joy. Just remember this. I'm like, would you just let yourself be happy?

Would you just let yourself enjoy this moment? That's right. Yeah. Yeah. Because that's what we do to ourselves. And I do it to myself all the time where I have to look in the mirror and say, would you just let yourself enjoy this? That's right. That's right. Yeah. Because the truth is...

Joy is a choice. It's a choice. It really is. Yeah. And we can say all day, and it's true, the enemy does come to steal, kill, and destroy your joy. He comes to take it. God gives it to you, and then he comes and tries to snatch it. But at the same time, it's a gift from God.

And we can receive it at any point. And what God has for this, the devil, no matter how hard he tries, as long as we receive it, he can't take it from us. And so to receive it means that you just choose to have it. That's right. It feels like the lack of joy just like begins to like cave in on you. And it's like you're exhausted and you can't get up and you're apathetic and nothing matters. And people say something funny, but I'm not going to laugh. And it's like you have to choose to fight against that.

Yeah, and I think that's what's so—I think that for me, like, that's what's so beautiful about having Jesus is before I didn't have the tools. I didn't know how to find my joy when I was in a state of sadness and depression. And so I would sulk for weeks, even months. And now I have these tools of worshiping, of—

I could run into bed, but I don't. I go on my hands and knees and I open the Word of God and I read it. And it literally, it goes through me and literally heals me. Worshiping. I'm telling you, I could be so sad and just that feeling just so exhausted and I won't even have to say anything. I just sit in worship and soak Him and rest in His presence. That's why the Bible says in Psalms,

He makes me lie down in green pastures and he walks me along still waters. That's what it means. A lot of us are just exhausted. We're tired. When we have a lack of joy, Ange, me and you, it's because...

most of the time we're literally fried. We don't know how to shut our brains off. And I'm sure so many of you guys are just running on fumes, running on fumes. And of course you're going to have a lack of joy. And when you're running on fumes, we can't hear God as well either. Yeah, totally. And so I just encourage you guys, when you are feeling just burnt out and a lack of

light in your eyes it's because you need a rest it's because he wants you to lay down in the green pastures and he wants to walk you beside the still waters and he just wants you to rest in his presence and he will like it says he will then restore your soul i love that you just said that wow i guarantee you your joy is in rest that's right you'll find your joy in his presence when you abide and you rest that is crazy yeah that just spoke to me i'm gonna go take a nap

ShipStation. The world keeps getting smarter. Your e-commerce business should too. Whether you're looking for incredible efficiency or your business has outgrown your old shipping solution, ShipStation helps you take the next step. ShipStation helps you achieve exceptional shipping efficiency with a robust,

all-in-one order fulfillment system that integrates with over 180 of the most popular e-commerce platforms, marketplaces, and carriers. We are obsessed with ShipStation here at GGB. It is so easy to automate shipping tasks and manage orders in one simple dashboard. I love that automations allow me to smoothly print shipping labels at the click of a button. Do you know how good it feels to save thousands on shipping with industry-leading carrier discounts?

It's the fastest, most affordable way to ship products to your customers with discounts up to 89% off UPS, DHL Express, and USPS rates. You guys can effortlessly scale your business with smart features and automations that boost efficiency while bringing costs down.

Over 130,000 companies have grown their e-commerce business with ShipStation, and 98% of companies that stick with ShipStation for a year become customers for life. Lead your e-commerce business into a smarter future with the shipping software that delivers.

Switch to ShipStation today. Go to ShipStation.com and use code GGB to sign up for a free 60-day trial. That's ShipStation.com slash GGB. You want me to go first? Yeah. What is it you call it? We're keeping that in. What is it? Nemanaya? Yeah.

Nehemiah, baby. Nehemiah, boy. I love this part in Nehemiah. I don't know if you guys have ever read Nehemiah. If you guys have ever read Nehemiah. So it's in the Old Testament, and there is this...

person in the Bible called Nehemiah. And I love the story of Nehemiah so much. He basically, when the Israelites, when they returned from the exile from Babylon, they go back to Jerusalem and Nehemiah is helping rebuild the wall of Jerusalem to not let any outsiders get in. They destroyed the wall. Babylon was going crazy during this time. And then Nehemiah goes in and he helps and they have this like whole army rebuild the wall.

And there's this moment in Nehemiah chapter eight that it's the famous scripture. The joy of the Lord is your strength. This is where it comes from. And it's this moment in Nehemiah chapter eight. We're going to start at verse nine. But basically what's happening is the priest Ezra brought the law of Moses to the Israelites. It says that only the men and women and the children that could understand were invited and invited.

Ezra went and he basically read the Word of God. They didn't have the privilege of reading it themselves like we do. So they're hearing the Word of God for the first time. And I love the scripture that says, "Faith comes by hearing and by hearing the Word of God."

The Word of God is everything. And I imagine these people, you'll see, they just start weeping. They just start bawling their eyes out. It's the first time they ever hear the Word of God. Wow, it's us. It's literally us. And they're discovering, and you know what it is, the reason that they start weeping. First, they're praising and celebrating, and they're bowing down, and they're worshiping God, and they're worshiping the Lord. And they're like, there is joy, and they're so happy. And it's a very, very holy moment.

And then they start to cry when they begin to hear the word of God because they realize they're so convicted that they realize they strayed away. They realize and recognize for the first time how far they've strayed away from the word of God in his original plan and will for us. And that's why I love the word so much because it is sharper than any two-edged sword. It cuts between bone and marrow, soul and spirit. And that's what it does. It's so convicting. And I remember I went loving Jesus my whole life.

Doing whatever I wanted. There was no conviction. No, any sin was permittable for me. I could hear it from whoever I wanted. Don't do this. Don't do that. Don't do that. God says. And I didn't care. I was like, I didn't know. I didn't hear him. He didn't say that to me. And then for the first time, I start reading the Bible and I'm like, I have to change everything. And then so we come back.

To this moment where in verse 9, it says,

for the people had all been weeping as they had listened to the words of the law. And Nehemiah continued, "Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

And the Levites too quieted the people telling them, "Hush, don't weep, for this is a sacred day." So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God's words and understood them. And I love this moment so much because joy empowers you, joy sustains you, and in this moment

The Israelites are so convicted and they're so stricken and downcast because they're like, we've strayed so far away from God. And it's this moment of repentance. Like they are repenting. They're realizing how much they've done wrong. And God is telling them, I want you guys to focus on the fact, the joy that is reconciling to God instead of focusing on all your past mistakes. Repentance should be joyous. We look at repentance as like, oh,

Oh, Jesus, I'm so sorry, which it is. It's a holy and reverent thing that like you are respecting and fearing God. But it's also like this is such a joyful thing that I am recognizing my wrong and I'm choosing to come back to you. And so in this moment, they are trying to encourage them and saying the joy of the Lord is your strength.

You need to be strong right now. They had to build a whole wall. They had so much to do. They had so much opposition. And in this moment, they're encouraging them. You're mourning and you're weeping and your sadness. That is not the strength that's going to sustain you. You need God's joy. Be happy. He's telling them, go have a feast with rich foods and sweet drinks.

Share gifts, enjoy yourself, don't weep. It's a sacred day. They went away to eat and drink at a festive meal to share gifts of food and to celebrate with great joy. Would we as a people, as a collective allow ourselves

to celebrate and have joy in the fact that so much might be wrong, but God has reconciled us to himself through Jesus's blood and body. And like, that's the point that I'm getting to. I'm so happy I read this and I'm so grateful that God ministers to us just as he does to everybody else. I needed this because I had a moment recently where

My relationship with God has been so intense. Yeah. It's been, I come from a very broken past, so much suffering, so many tears. My journey with Jesus has been full of tears and full of suffering and full of blah, blah, blah, whatever and everything. And so for me, and I'm so about the fear of the Lord, for me, it's almost as if, and I am so passionate about the glory of God, about God's manifest presence. I believe that experiencing God enter your room

come upon you physically and to your heart, it's real. I experience it. I love it. I love the Holy Spirit. And I am a big Holy Spirit person where like, I want everybody to know that you can experience God's glory.

And so for me, I so often experience God's glory through tears. I begin to bawl my eyes out and the tears just rush and they flow. I don't have to strive. I don't have to try. I don't have to like try to think my way there. I don't have to try and think about sad things. It's God's presence that comes and it's just, that's what's released.

And recently I was in a situation where I'm like I felt myself in worship and I was striving. I was trying to get there. Right. And you would understand this where we have like a background in acting to where like they always said like you have to get there emotionally. So you do whatever you need to do to like rev up the engine and like get the tea and whatever. Right.

Whereas like it doesn't work that way with God. That's not how I worship. I don't have to get there. God comes. Yeah, yeah. And he brings me there. And so I'm feeling myself like striving because I'm correlating tears with God's presence. Yep.

And I felt him speak to me and say, get up, get off your knees and go put on a joyful worship song. And I'm like, okay, I'm walking around outside like a prayer walk. And I put on some sort of like uplifting song, I think from Elevation.

and I start singing and I start worshiping, I find myself, I begin to skip and immediately the presence of God fills my heart and I start hysterically laughing, tears came too, but I am hysterically laughing outside in the middle of the street in the presence of God and he immediately met me

And I start bawling my eyes out. And I'm like, that was really easy. I didn't have to try. And he spoke so clearly into my heart and said, you have suffered enough. It's a season for joy.

Do not correlate the fact that if you're crying for me and you're in this holy, reverent, intense moment, that that's the only way I'm coming. I'm coming to you with joy. Oh, that's so good. That's just what I felt from him so much. We have been going through that. I mean, that's exactly what I was going to read. That's exactly how I feel about it. I was going to read the same thing from—I was going to stick off. Philippines.

We're going to Philippines, everybody. We're going to the Philippines. I went up to Philippines one. Philippians one. Paul is in prison. And he says...

Philippians 1.

And then, you know, I'm not going to read it all, but Paul's joy that Christ is preached. He says, and I am in change and I am in chains because of Christ and because of my imprisonment, because of my imprisonment, most of the believers have gained confidence and boldly speak God's message without fear. And I just when I read that, I just thought the same as you, Ange, like I feel like as Christians, so.

so many of us feel like we have to suffer, like we have to suffer for Jesus. We have to take up our cross and carry it and carry it when really he had to suffer for us so we could be in joy. We like, yes, do we have to suffer for his name and preaching his name and being bold in that way? Like Paul is rejoicing in jail, rejoicing in this moment of, of being in chains, but not afraid to still boldly speak his,

his name, but Paul is still in so much joy. He's in, he, he is the joy of the Lord, the strength of the Lord. He knows that his Lord is with him. And I just like, when I read that, I had such a revelation of like, we don't have to suffer. Like everyone is so depressed and has anxiety. And we were like, oh, we're, we're doing it for Jesus. And because we think we have to do that when really we have to remember that he is

literally bore our sins. He died on a cross so we can live in peace and harmony and gentleness and joy. And so...

I almost get this picture of Jesus looking down at us being like, can you just guys just be happy? Like you don't have to suffer this much. Like I died for you so you can be happy and live your life and not think so much. Just, just go and have a good time, you know? Um,

And then another, and I'll just read one more part. Please. Paul wrote in 3 verse 13, he wrote, Dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing, forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God through Christ Jesus is calling us.

I was just saying this to Angela, right? So good. One of the biggest things that can steal our joy is looking back at the past and looking too forward at the future. If we are sitting there looking back of what could have been and worrying about the future, am I going to make it? Is my time up? Is this going to work out?

We're literally coming into agreement. That's the enemy literally stealing our joy, making us worry about the future and the past. And we're literally coming into agreement with the enemy being like, okay, yes, have it. Yes, I'm going to sit here in bondage in my thoughts and I'm going to worry all day. So every time we start to worry about the past or the future, remember what Paul says, I focus on one thing, forgetting the past and looking forward at what lies ahead. Yes.

God has a plan for us. And so looking back at the past and looking to forward at the future, that is not of God. That's not what He wants us to do. So every time we get those thoughts, we say, no, no, I'm not going to...

He's doing a new thing in me. I don't have to look at the past and the future. All I have to do is worry about today. And he's working all things together for me. Why? Because I'm focusing on him. I don't need to worry. Worry is, remember, we have to remember, worrying is literally coming in to agreement with the enemy. That's fear. Fear is the enemy. That's what he does. He comes to kill, steal, and destroy.

So let's not look back at the future or the past. Let's keep pressing on. Let's all be a family that wants to finish the race. I love that so much. I'm obsessed. That's one of my favorite scriptures of all time because... Dwelled about the past. It's kept me in bondage. This is a past dweller. I'm a future dweller. I am like, we are the same. We are like opposites in that. We're like, my anxiety has always been the future and yours has always been the past.

As a parent, I don't need to tell you guys how busy you are. Our Next Partner makes mealtime for your kids so much easier and more enjoyable. My niece and nephew are wildly picky and they never enjoy anything new. My brother and sister-in-law are desperate to figure out how to introduce them to a better, healthier variety of foods.

Thank you.

That means they are ready to serve in just one minute. Nurture Life lets kids enjoy a healthy, nutritionally balanced diet while still eating all their favorites like mac and cheese, spaghetti and meatballs, and so much more. So parents can be sure that there's always something on the menu that their little ones will love. And what sets Nurture Life apart from other meal delivery services?

Without a doubt, it's how amazing they taste and how healthy they are. It's because their meals are made fresh every week. Seriously, you guys, they're never frozen. And they're shipped directly to your door. My niece and nephew love them, and even my sister-in-law was sneaking in bites with every meal, she told me. That's why Nurture Life is the top meal delivery service for babies and kids, and it's even allergy-friendly too.

My niece Sierra's favorite recent meal from Nurture Life was the Alfredo bow ties. She loves a little bow tie. With school starting back up, my sister-in-law Vilma knew she needed some help in the kitchen. Nurture Life saved her a lot of stress. The meals arrived quickly and she said each one was delicious and so easy to serve. So how does Nurture Life work?

It's simple. Select over 50 varieties of nutritious, balanced meals on their weekly menu, from finger foods for babies and toddlers to kids' meals for older kids. Then Nurture Life does the cooking for you, and the fresh meals are delivered straight to your door in refrigerated packaging. Using Nurture Life takes so much stress and anxiety out of feeding kids and

You guys, you don't have to scramble to make healthy meals for them and you don't have to worry about if your kids will like your meals anymore. Our favorite Nurture Life item is definitely their superfood smoothies. They're so healthy and so nutritious for the kids while they think that they're drinking a milkshake. Nurture Life is our favorite meal delivery service because all the meals are designed by registered dietitians.

So I know that you're giving your kids good food that's good for them. That means you can focus on all of your other responsibilities instead of worrying about what's for dinner. Nurture Life's mission is to raise the standard for children's food in America, one meal and snack at a time. It's about time that a flexible meal subscription existed for babies and kids

So head to NurtureLife.com and use code GGB for 55% off your first order. That's right, 55% off. Once again, that's NurtureLife.com for 55% off and make sure you use our promo code GGB so they know we sent you.

So much of why God didn't bring me to where I was supposed to be is because I was stuck in bondage thinking of what could have been. And it was literally keeping me in hell. And until I like every day, slowly but surely surrendered it. It's not easy to do that. It's not easy to mourn like that. But when you keep coming to your knees, asking him to help you through that and walk through that with you.

He's like, okay, now I can trust you with this. Now I can take you to the next level. So true. You know? And I think a lot of people right now are in that same situation as you where your joy is on the other side of your surrender of your past. We're sitting here being like, where's the joy? Where's the joy? Where's the joy? Where's the joy? I think it's on the other side of you letting go of the past. It's true. So true, Ange.

I really quick want to read Acts 16, 16. It's just this little part about Paul and Silas in prison. I don't know if I've read this on here before, but I love this moment so much because what we want to leave you here with today is, I can't speak English today, is this.

Jesus bought your joy. It is an inheritance. It is yours for the taking. And I want you guys and us to rejoice before we have the right to. Before our circumstance looks the way we want it to, rejoice before you have the right to.

because Paul and Silas were in jail from preaching the gospel. They're thrown in jail. Paul, one of the many times that he's thrown in jail. In Acts 16, verse 25, it says,

Suddenly there was a massive earthquake and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open and the chains of every prisoner fell off. The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped so he drew his sword to kill himself but Paul shouted to him, "'Stop, don't kill yourself. We are all here.'"

They are in prison. They are in chains. They are in bondage. Their current circumstance did not look like something to rejoice in. It did not look like something to begin to sing hymns for. But they chose, because joy is a choice, they made the decision to begin to pray and sing hymns. And that caused a massive earthquake.

The prison was shaken to its foundations. The doors flew open. So the minute they started praising, their chains fell off and they were set free. Praise and worship and choosing joy is what sets you free. Joy has the ability to set you free and it's something you get to choose. So let's all take after Paul and Silas in the situation that even when we're depressed and anxious, unwell, our loved one isn't healed. The person we love just left, whatever it may be.

Begin to praise and rejoice and choose joy and watch your shackles and your chains fly off and the doors get open. And that's the beauty of having Jesus. It's that unwavering love of knowing, I don't know what's happening right now in my life because...

This isn't to say that I'm not going to go through a storm, that things aren't going to happen. But I know that I serve a faithful God who's walking through the valley, who's not going to leave with me, that I can literally sit back. That's what's been the best thing for me. I can literally sit back and relax and rest in knowing He's taking care of everything. I don't need to worry. And that alone...

alone should give you this overwhelming, immense amount of joy and peace. Yeah. Because you, we really do serve a faithful father who literally is, is taking care of everything.

everything. We don't need to worry. And when we don't need to worry, what's the opposite of worry? Joy. So let's all rest in joy because he's taking care of it all for us. He really is. I'm laughing because do what Socrates says. Every time I call Socrates and I say, Socrates, I have no joy. He goes, tickle yourself. Tickle yourself. Jump around. Tickle yourself. We were laughing so hard we started tickling on our arms.

What's the medicine to joy? Laughter. Start laughing. That is medicine. Just laugh. Joy is so, so important. And I think about how the scripture where it says that Jesus endured the cross because of the joy that was set before him.

Like how could Jesus look at the cross which is literally the instrument to his death like the means of him dying is the cross and it says in scripture that he looked at the cross with joy. How was Jesus able to face the most horrific thing of all time in all of history the most horrific thing that would ever happen he faced it with joy because

Because it is only joy that gives us the ability to endure these things. And in my own life, the only way that I've gotten through suffering is through joy. And so in this season where my joy has been affected, it's dwindled, my ability to laugh, I...

have always been me and Ari both the queen of the belly laugh, the queen. I mean, we're so annoying to people around us because we can get stuck in those laughs. And like, we are committed with you guys to getting that joy back to focusing on that joy, to choosing to laugh, choosing, just choosing it, doing whatever you can get up, jump around, skip around,

And don't lose your joy. Do you promise today that you will not lose your joy? You'll do everything in your power and you'll pray for it. It's yours. It's yours. It's mine. It's yours. I'm taking it back. I don't know about you. I'm tired. Give me it. Give me it. Put it in me. Put it in me. Speak in tongues. Speak in tongues. Yeah, really. And Philippians verse 2, don't be selfish. Don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others.

As better than yourselves, don't look out only for your own interests, but take any interest in others too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

When we try to embody the mind of Christ and be humble and not try to impress people and not try to live of the validation of others and we are humble enough to love each other like we love ourselves, that is going to bring more joy than you could ever know when we stop trying to put a facade up.

I know for you, when you were in the time helping me, I saw the joy in your eyes every day because you were being so selfless and you had the mind of Christ every single morning with me. And so...

Just checking your heart posture every day. If you are not feeling good, say, you know what? I'm not feeling good, but maybe I can go make someone else feel good. Wow, that's beautiful. And watch your spirit just flutter. Watch the joy in your eyes come back when you see yourself helping somebody else. I know that's what Jesus did. So good. Yeah. We'll just leave you with this. Colossians 1, 11 to 14 says,

We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power. So you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy. I'm praying this over you guys. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people who live in the light.

For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his dear son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. Be filled with joy in Jesus' name. I pray for you guys that joy would be your default, that it would be your natural response to any situation that you would receive right now, the free gift of joy.

Jesus loves you so much. We love you so much. And we're so grateful and we're so compassionate towards probably your season of lack of joy. But what does it say? Hang on, hang on.

For his anger is but for a moment and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes in the morning. That's right. That's right. Joy is coming in the morning. And by morning, I mean right now. For all of us. For all of us, family.

We love you guys so much. Love you guys so much. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May he make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May he turn his face towards you and give you peace and joy. We love you so much. We love you.

Cox offers fiber-powered speeds from the nation's fastest internet provider. Double up the value when you add Cox Mobile for a combination of lightning-fast home internet and unbeatable 5G reliability on the go. Cox internet is powered by fiber and connected to the premises via coaxial cable. Nation's fastest based on average download speeds from highspeedinternet.com. Speed tests in 2023. Individual speeds may vary. Learn more at cox.com.

Ever wonder what makes pandas so special? Join us on Amazing Wildlife to find out. Giant pandas and their habitat are unique and beautiful and extraordinary representation of the natural world. And if you get that opportunity to sit and watch a panda eat bamboo, you will be mesmerized.

Listen to Amazing Wildlife on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search Amazing Wildlife and start listening.