Girls Gone Bible - Advice To Our Younger Selves | Girls Gone Bible

Episode Date: February 23, 2024

GGB FRIDAY. THANK YOU JESUS. HALLELUJAH ♡ today we bring to you... an episode on the things we would tell our younger selves. hindsight is 20/20 and these are things we wish we could have known when we were younger! but we believe these pieces of advice can apply to people of all ages. we read the story about the friendship between Jonathan and David in 1 Samuel 18 and honestly just have such a good time. we love you guys so much. Jesus loves you more. -Ang & Ari LINK TO LIVE YOUR DREAMS VIRTUAL EVENT https://www.terri.com/liveyourdreams2023/ if you’d like to support Girls Gone Bible 🙏🏻🕊️🤍 Paypal- https://www.paypal.me/girlsgonebibleinfo Venmo- https://www.venmo.com/u/girlsgonebible

you know we're in a different location and it feels like we're it feels like we're on somebody else's show right now i want to thank you guys for having us like who's interviewing us maybe chris chris is okay chris is gonna have to hear me today stumble the scriptures to be like what am i watching chris is gonna hear you when i was in my dark season. When I had a broken heart. Jesus healed us, Chris. You know, by the end of this, you're definitely going to convert. I promise you that. Sounds good. Hi, guys. I'm Angela. I'm Ari. And this is Girls Gone Bible. We are a faith-based podcast. We talk all things Jesus, the Bible, God, spirituality, mental

health, everything under the sun. We talk about it. We, it can get really heavy. It can get deep, but we have a lot of fun along the way. And our biggest thing is we just want you guys to come here and feel safe. You can feel safe with us. Absolutely. You definitely can. Cause we are a little, we're a little kooky. Okay. Um, so we're in New York right now. What are we doing? So last night we went to the Ordinary Angels premiere. You guys, please go see this movie. You should have seen me and Angela.

We were weeping. I mean, are you, is that a surprise to you that we're crying? Literally everyone is like just sitting there just enjoying the film. We are wailing. I mean, we can't even be quiet with it. I had never been so touched by a film. The message was just, I'm so glad that they are starting to make films like this. You guys have no idea what is happening in Hollywood right now.

The faith-based film industry is on the rise. God is moving. He's working. And what's beautiful about this film, Ordinary Angels, is that it's not like, it's just not a cheesy Christian film. And unfortunately that has been kind of the preconceived notion that people have about faith-based films is that they're going to be corny. They're going to be cheesy. And it wasn't, it was so, it was thrilling. It was touching. It was suspenseful. Um, and it's a, and it's a true story about a little girl who I don't want to give it all away, but it's beautiful. And I really suggest that you guys go watch it. It's Hilary Swank. And the biggest message that I took away from that movie was how you people can be in human form as angels you can be a blessing and an angel for somebody in their life and need and I say that all the time I thought you were gonna say

that I was your angel no but that's that's the message that I just I loved that about that movie yeah and I hope everyone can take that away from that film, that they can be a blessing in somebody's life and they should be. That's our purpose on earth. And that's what God wants for each and every one of us. Amen. Amen. So go see Ordinary Angels. We are huge fans of it.

So today, well, we're also, so we're in Long Island the past week and we are having just a little little New York minute, me and my girl truly having the time of our lives. We have become—we're on a tour. We're on a world tour right now. We've been everywhere. We've been to—just this year, we've been to Nashville, Orlando, Miami, New York, New York City, Long Island. Where else? I went to Atlanta. Long Island.

Long Island. We're having a true New York minute. I'm really trying to be a New Yorker this week. Am I doing all right? Yeah. What Jackson is that? I don't know, dude. Was that not good?

I know. It was really good. Was it like a false about New York? One time Ari was like, we're with a group of people, and she was like, oh, you guys, I literally can do the best impression of Margot Robbie. Shut up. Was it all good? No, it was.

But you literally go, we're not going to be friends. And everyone was like, whoa, you did it. It was really funny. Yeah, we love New York. We love New York. Today, we want to read a story that you guys have literally flooded our comments with saying that this is me and Ari. It's the story of Jonathan Damon. All right. It's the story of, that's a new character in the Bible. It's a story of Jonathan and David, and it starts in first Samuel chapter 18. And then basically the

rest of this episode, we've been so excited for this one because we want to have a whole episode where we just talk about the things we would tell our younger selves. And so this whole episode is going to be directed at our younger audience, our younger people, our people in high school and middle school. I don't know if you're watching. Maybe. No, we do have some. OK, well, if you're in middle school, if you're in high school, if you're in college or honestly, honestly, even if you're our age, even if you're in your 30s, 40s, I think anyone can gain something from it because we are always hindsight is always 2020. And God, do we wish that we could have our future knowledge in the past because it would help us. So hopefully we can bring some insight to that today.

Yeah, it's so funny. We got so many messages being like, you guys are just like Jonathan and David. And I look at Angela, I'm like, we have to read this story. Okay, you guys, one more thing before we get into everything today. We have something so exciting that Ari and I are doing. We are going to be speakers at this virtual conference. It's called Live Your Dreams. And it's basically an event by Terry Savelle Foy Ministries. It's the Live Your Dreams virtual event. It's a conference that's pre-recorded, a one-day event featuring eight experts in their fields. Each topic is linked to their Vision 101 coaching program, a 90-day course

on some of the following topics. The topic that Angela and I will be talking about is on confidence. And some of the other topics that the guest speakers will be talking about is habits, goals, gifts and talents, finance, organization, imagination, confidence and fitness. We're going to put a link in the bio for this. We want you guys to sign up and we want you to watch and join virtually. We're going to be there, but I know so many other great guests are going to be there. So just a little backstory. So we know that David, so at this time in the Old Testament, we have King Saul, who is, I can't, we don't, we'll have to go all day if I try to give the whole backstory and

context as to what is happening right now. But King Saul is in a situation where he is not being the best guy. He is going against God. He's not obeying God's word. And so he's in a situation in first Samuel, uh, in first Samuel 15, we're in this place where it says that the Lord rejects Saul. The Lord said to Samuel, I am sorry that I ever made Saul king for he has not been loyal to me and he has refused to obey my command. So and then basically God gives Samuel a word to go anoint David as king. So David doesn't immediately become king, but he gets this anointing that will he will later become king.

And then we we have this whole situation. You guys know the story of David and Goliath. We have this whole situation. You guys know the story of David and Goliath. David defeats Goliath and it kind of like puts him up in ranking in this world right now. And then it brings us to chapter 18 where Saul becomes jealous of David. So in a little backstory, Jonathan, who we are going to be reading about, is Saul's son. So David was a young shepherd and Jonathan was a prince, the son of King Saul, and was in line to inherit the throne.

And then as Angela said, David became known to the king because he slayed the giant Goliath. So Saul becomes jealous of David. We're in 1 Samuel chapter 18. After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king's son. There was an immediate bond between them, for Jonathan loved David. From that day on, Saul kept David with him and wouldn't let him return home. And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David because he loved him as much as he loved himself. Jonathan sealed the pact by taking off his robe and giving it to David together with his tunic, sword, bow, and belt. I love this part. So we're basically going to be reading across

the next four chapters, taking snippets, skipping over some parts because we simply wouldn't have time. And this today's message is like mostly about the bond between David and Jonathan. And I just love this because there was an immediate bond between them. If you guys would have seen Ari and I the first time we met and the immediate bond that happened between us instantly. I know. It was incredible. I loved you so much.

I loved you. I looked at you and I said, I would give my life for this girl. Truly. I know. I'm not even kidding. That's how I feel about you. Like, I literally would give my life loved you. And I looked at you and I said, I would give my life for this girl. Truly. I know. I'm not even kidding. That's how I feel about you. Like I literally would give my life for you. I know. Me too. Yeah. And then I really, so it said that Jonathan made a solemn pact with David. And then I love this part where it says that Jonathan sealed the pact by taking off his robe and giving it to David together with his tunic, sword, bow and belt.

And something that I really got from this little passage right here is that it's not just that Jonathan gave David all this stuff, because if just like how Ari explained, David was somebody who came from nothing and Jonathan is a prince. David truly had nothing to offer in the situation with Jonathan. David, all he had to offer was his friendship, but that's all that Jonathan needed from him. And at this point, Jonathan gave him his clothes, his sword, his bow, his belt. He basically declothed in a way. And I just feel like something that happened in our friendship right away is there was this immediate, our friendship right away is there was this immediate, not physical, but like emotional nakedness. Like we took everything off and we had to be naked emotionally in front of each other.

And that vulnerability that we had one another immediately created that bond, which is so beautiful. And another thing too, is that you see in this moment where they made a pact in their friendship there was an exchange you gave I took I gave you took and that's also how bonds are created and like I think a lot of people want to have friendships where they don't have to give and like there has to be an energetic spiritual and emotional mental exchange between people to build any sort of bond. That's, yeah, that's, that's what friendship is. That's why our friendship is so strong. Yeah, truly. And you really started off us off on that foot though, with the vulnerability, because you were so vulnerable right away that I was like, dude, if this girl is about to drop all this on me, like I feel comfortable to do it back to her as well. Well, I think, I think too, um, you know, a lot

of friendships, like you said, like there's a lot of selfishness and I love when he says, um, and Jonathan made a solemn pact with David because he loved him as he loved himself. When I look at you and when I do things for you, it's because I love you so much. I love you as I love myself. I think of you almost like I, like I just, I, you're on that pedestal of my life. Like you, I feel like you and I are truly one. It's, it's so special. And I truly thank God every day, but yeah, it's, and I think that's, that's how friendship should be though. Of course. I, I, I friendship should be, though. Of course. It's selfless. My prayer for every person in the world is that they all have a friend like Jonathan and David and like you and I because it changes your life.

It changes your life because it adds a sort of security, which we'll see in the story. There's a security and a safety that you have just moving through life that you gain confidence just through that. Like, it's insane and everyone always asks us like how like you said earlier how did you guys have that bond because we had a humility and we were so um what's the word um I just lost my train of thought. It's okay. What's it called when you're... Willingness? No. What was I to you? Vulnerable? Yes.

Okay. Doing great. You're doing great. Please. I'm keeping that in. No, but that's how our relationship was so strong because we were so vulnerable with each other. We held nothing back. Truly. So then basically we go over the next few chapters. We have this whole situation where King Saul is not feeling okay. So David is like, he's gaining

a lot of respect from the people because he had this whole situation with Goliath. He's becoming one of the best, one of the best soldiers, fighters. And so it said that the people sang and danced for joy with tambourines and cymbals. This was their song. Saul has killed his thousands and David his ten thousands. So this made Saul very angry. What's this? He said, they credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next, they'll be making him their king. From that time on, Saul kept a jealous eye on David. Now, I just want to emphasize here what happens when you are jealous. God really hates jealousy.

And I'm telling you, it will breed so much evil in your life. Like when you let jealousy take root, I can't tell you. I mean, you probably have people like that in your life, or maybe you are one of those people who are a jealous person. I really encourage you to take that to God immediately. Ari and I, thank you, Jesus, aren't people who struggle with jealousy. Like we just don't. And I'm not saying that to pat ourselves on the back. We clearly have plenty of issues. That's just not one of them, you know? And so,

however, if I do ever find myself feeling a bit of jealousy, I'm not even kidding. Immediately when I get a thought, I take it to Jesus because I'm like, I am not letting this become, it's like gross. It feels so gross. It's the worst feeling. Yeah, you really do. And it's like gross it feels so gross it's the worst feeling yeah you really do and and it's normal I mean we are humans and we sin and we have those thoughts and we have those feelings but the minute you get those you bring it right to God and he will take care of it for you say get this out of my heart this isn't from you get that out of my heart yeah yeah it truly is the worst thing you can have is jealousy yeah I mean it's it will it will bring you destruction it will be the destruction. It will be

the cause of your downfall. And it's literally the cause of King Saul's downfall. It even says the Lord was with David and had turned away from Saul. And this is actually, David is the one that God talks about when, because Samuel goes to anoint one of the sons of this man and he says to God, oh, it must be this guy because it's one of the sons who's like big and bulky and looks like he would be a king. And God says, don't judge just based off of what you see because man looks at outward appearance, but I look at what's in the heart. And so he's looking at the heart of David and he's looking at the heart of Saul and he's not going to elevate Saul when his heart is so wicked. And then so basically he develops this elaborate plan Saul does to get David killed. But because God is on his side, if God before you who can be against you, nobody do. Hear that, Chris. Thank you. We get to chapter 19 and it talks about how Saul is trying to kill David.

And it says that Saul now urged his servants and his son Jonathan to assassinate David. But Jonathan, because of his strong affection for David, told him what his father was planning. Tomorrow morning, he warned him, you must find a hiding place out in the fields. I'll ask my father to go out there with me and I'll talk to him about you. Then I'll tell you everything that I can find out. to go out there with me and I'll talk to him about you. Then I'll tell you everything that I can find out. So basically in this situation,

Jonathan is now having David's back so much that he is telling him that whatever my father is planning, I'm going to go against not only my father, but the king. I'm going to go behind his back to protect you. And that's what I would do for you. I wish someone would come for you. You would against your own father? Yeah, I would. and then we just move on a little bit um to first Samuel chapter 20 it's just Jonathan and David still going back and

forth and and Jonathan is like what's going on like my dad doesn't want to kill you and David is like no I'm telling you he does. He does want to kill me. Why do I deserve this? I didn't do anything. And Jonathan says to David, tell me what I can do to help you. Jonathan exclaimed. So their whole friendship is based on having each other's backs,

defending each other, helping each other, protecting one another. And then it says, David says, please don't betray me to him. And Jonathan exclaimed, never. And then I'll just read a couple of key things in this next chapter. Jonathan told David, I promise by the Lord, the God of Israel, that by this time tomorrow or the next day at the latest, I will talk to my father and let you know at once how he feels about you. I love when he says, I promise by the Lord because he brings God into the friendship. Our whole friendship is founded on Jesus. Our foundation is God and prayer and praying for each other and about our friendship. That's why it's so strong. And then just once again, Jonathan made David

reaffirm his vow of friendship again for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself. And then you go down at verse 23. It says, may the Lord make us keep our promises to each other for he has witnessed them as God, as with God, as our witness in our friendship, when you make promises, bringing God into those promises will make, I mean, you literally come into covenant with people, with friends. Yeah. You know? Yeah. It's such a beautiful thing. Yeah.

Even, and that's why prayer too, like anything we do, if we have an issue, we go, let's pray about it. And immediately, it's like like it's completely different and putting God at the forefront of any relationship you have to that's how it keeps you keep it so strong that's how you keep it lasting forever you know I don't even know how people can have relation I mean that's why most people can't if I'm being honest you know what I mean because our relationship isn't perfect it really isn't it kind of is no I mean we don't we don't have I mean the thing is about us is we don't have any fundamental issues no the only time but even still like we'll have we'll get annoyed with each other for literally two seconds it's not even it sibling. But it's not even about things in our friendship. Oh, yeah.

We go through so much outside of our friendship that sometimes you can take into any relationship, especially a friendship, and you will unpack that on your, a lot of things like when I'm stressed out, I can unpack on you sometimes. And so we just go through a lot in our lives, but we always bring it together in prayer and with God.

So true. You know, I love what, I wanted to read something that stuck out to me that I immediately thought of you. And it says in Samuel 23, 16, Saul's son, Jonathan, went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. And I just, that is, when I read that, I was like, that's exactly what you did for me. You helped me find strength in myself and in God. And I think when we're looking for friendships, that's the number one thing we need to find is who's going to help you find strength in God. We need those kinds of people in our lives,

you guys. It's so important. It's the number one thing that you need to look at is in your friendship group is who is bringing you closer to God. And I just posted a thing on my story the other day that was like, look at your friends and look at the friends who are pointing you to God and the ones who are pointing you to go out to the club and to drink and like to do whatever. Those aren't your friends. Like the friends who make you better are your friends. And if you don't have friends like that yet, call on Jesus and ask him to bring you to community because he wants nothing more than for you to have community. Like he will.

That's probably one of the first things that he'll do for you because it's so important to him because it's so important for you. So just to finish off our reading, it's just right here. It says basically we're in a situation where Jonathan finds out that his dad really does want to kill David. And so he sends a signal to David to warn him that he must flee. He must leave and that it's not safe for him to come. So he completely betrays his dad and he doesn't care. And it honestly kind of reminds me about how God says, like, you will have to before brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers, like you will have to choose me over them. And it might even cause tension within your family, but in the name of the Lord like that's acceptable and

it's fine yeah and even in a situation like this to do what was right for God because to protect David which is God's anointed king that he's doing right by God so he had to betray his own father to do right by Jesus and that's just how it is sometimes that's right and so right here it says when they were leaving this is is so sad. He goes, as soon as the boy was gone, David came out of where he had been hiding near the stone pile. Then David bowed three times to Jonathan with his face to the ground. Both of them were in tears as they embraced each other and said goodbye, especially David. At last, Jonathan said to David, go in peace for we have sworn loyalty to each other in the Lord's name. The Lord is the And then he went on and took care of his sons.

When Jonathan passed away, I would do that for you. Would you do that for me? I would. Oh, I can't wait till you have kids. Do you understand how much? I can't even imagine like loving my own kids more than I love your kids. Like I'm going to love your kids truly like they're mine. We're going to have kids together, right? Yeah. A hundred percent. Not together, but yeah. Anyways. So I just love this

sworn loyalty to each other in the Lord's name, loyalty in the name of Jesus. That is what our friendship is literally built on is loyalty. I mean, truly, I can honestly say in the name of Jesus, that is what our friendship is literally built on is loyalty. I mean, truly, I can honestly say in the whole time that I've known you, I have never one time. And I know it's the same for you. I've never one time spoke about you behind your back and I never will for the rest of my life till the day I die, no matter how much you piss me off and you don't put the tart cap back on the moisturizer. I will never talk about you. I won't. It physically wouldn't be able to come out of my mouth.

What do you think I said about you in your birthday video? If I leave a room, you will always have my back. Without a doubt. And the same goes for me. I know. Well, that's the one thing I love. I think one of the main things that I have in our friendship is that I really do feel so protected by you. Like, I know Ari's this little thing with a bow in her hair, but she will truly—you guys honestly don't even know her.

There's a whole side of Ari that you guys—she doesn't show when she—she's like a little Miss Princess Diana when she comes in here. This is about being a good friend. Oh, yeah. She backed me up right now. I would never talk about you are. You think she's mad? No, but seriously, you would have, like, if I need help, if I need to bury a body, like, I would. I will have that.

Is it called a hoe? What's called a hoe? Take the ditch. Oh, yeah. A shovel? I'm having brain fog today. I can't think of words. Jesus, Holy Spirit, fill me up right now.

I'm saying I have brain fog. Yeah, I'd have a shovel. I'd be digging the ditch. Anyways, I love you so much. Thank you, Jonathan and David, for a fun time. Now, let's get to what— You are really just— Now, let's get to what. You are really just. Okay, let's go.

Next. Will you slow down? My Lord. I'm nervous. We have literally 10 more minutes. Okay, Jonathan and David. Jonathan and David, thank you so much. Okay.

Today we're talking about what would you tell your younger self. This is really, this is a really good one. Thank you. I'm sorry. Thank you. I got that. I got it. Yes.

Narcissist. Will you pray for me? Okay, Angela, yeah, what would you, what would you tell your younger self? Okay, well, we got a, we put up a little question box on the Instagram, and the responses that we got were so, so good, and I honestly wanted it to use as a little bit of inspiration to see if we could think of anything that we could relate to anything that you guys wrote. And I was honestly just curious to get to know you guys too. I've ever wondered why laundry detergent comes in massive plastic jugs. They're heavy, they're messy, and they're hard to store. And worst of all, 91% of plastic doesn't get recycled, leaving laundry jugs to sit in landfills for centuries to come.

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When I got to high school, I, so do you know, I don't, I don't even remember what school was like, but you know how we had periods? Yeah. And every single period, if you were late to class, they would call your parents' phone. Do you know what I did? I went and I changed the number that they would call to my phone instead of my parents' phone so that my parents— I'm so sorry, Mom. My parents—maybe I shouldn't give that advice. No, it's okay because I'm sure there's kids that are asking.

I don't want kids to get any ideas. No, but you're telling them that they should stay in school. No, it's bad. You should absolutely stay in school. My parents were so strict, and I love them for it, and I know that they were stay in school. No, it's bad. You should absolutely stay in school. My parents were so strict and I love them for it. And I know that they were doing it because they thought that that was best. But because they were so strict, I've told you guys, it made me insane. Imagine having Eastern European parents and being Catholic.

I was nuts. Absolutely nuts. So I left school every day. I barely went to school. And I truly would just tell myself, enough. Just go to school. Yeah. You know. Yeah. I mean, I was the opposite. I actually was like a good kid in school and I tried really, really hard. Yeah. And I was like, I but I struggled. I struggled really bad and I beat myself up over it. And I was like, am I not, am I not smart enough? Like, so I, I really got in my head in school because I was watching the other kids like succeed and they were just like flowing through class, getting A's. And I, I really had a hard time in school. And so I can imagine that there's people watching this that

are struggling as well. And I just want you to give yourself some grace because everyone has a different way of learning. And it doesn't mean that someone else is better than you or more smart than you. I mean, I went through life thinking I'll never be anything. And if I listened to that voice about how I did in school, I would never be sitting up here. So, you know, I know I can't even imagine how hard it is for, for kids because I mean, you're like getting graded on things. Like we all have specific and certain gifts and I think it's good to learn about everything, but to be graded and to have your level of like intelligence and intellect to be decided by, by in subjects that like you aren't gifted in and that like you aren't even going to use for your future life and have that be the the grading process of how smart

you are doesn't make sense to me at all it's tough and there were days where I didn't even want to go to school because I was embarrassed yeah I was like I I don't know what I'm doing it was really hard for me to process things quick. And so, you know, some people learn faster than others. So give yourself some grace. Absolutely. Even now, I mean, you and I, you can read something and you learn like this. I have to read it two or three times. So we all have a different way of learning. But that, but like, again, we have all, we all have different strengths. That might not be your strength. You have thousands of things that you're good at that I'm not good at. So why are we all being graded on the same thing?

Exactly. It's just interesting. Anyway, so our point in this, in the school conversation, is go to school and do your best. But always know that even as a kid, even as a high schooler or middle schooler, like your identity is in Jesus and not in your grades. And like you can apply the word of God even to your school situation and that you find your value not in your grades, but in who you are in Jesus and who he created you to be. Yeah. And just do your best and be a good kid. Yeah. And go to school. Don't do what I did. I would literally like Thursday night, every single week, do all my homework for the week, stay up all night, turn it in Friday. And I always got good grades. But my teachers would literally every single teacher, I always got along with people like the adults older than me. All my teachers would sit me down and be like, Angela, please, like you have so much potential. We see so much in you. Why are you doing this? Why are you acting like this? Like,

why are you acting out so badly? And I was just so rebellious. Like I did, I could not like, honestly, getting close to Jesus is, it obviously saved me, but it saved me from myself because I'm so against authority and so rebellious in that way that if I don't have an authoritative figure like God in my life, like I will be. That's so interesting. I don't have an authoritative figure like God in my life, like I will be. That's so interesting. I don't know what it is. It's it's just and like you see me now. I mean, I follow rules like it's nobody's business. I do the right thing all the time. Yeah. Like I'm and I have incredible discipline. It's just it's just like a rebellious thing. Did you go to college? Yeah, I went to I went to an acting school oh that's right that's right yeah

but I mean it was like regular college but you I graduated you graduated high school yeah yeah I did well I'm really I know that's an honest no yeah you know what it is the boys love you I like I was friends with everybody but I was not popular in the sense of like being like the popular girl. I don't know if my school really had that, but I was friends with everybody. I was friends with truly, I was friends with the, with the like cheerleaders. I was friends with the athletes. I was friends with the drama kids. I was friends with the drug kids. Yeah. I was friends with the kids who went to the bad with the drug kids. Yeah. I was friends with the kids who went to the bad school who like couldn't get into our school cause they got suspended so many

times. I got it. I was friends with everybody. So I was just honestly just like, I just like floated around. I've always been like that though. Yeah. You, you get along with everyone. No. Yeah. And just like floating around through different, like I just like gravitate towards anybody you do and that's an amazing quality to have that too you know what I remember in high school this is so sad honestly my heart I'm starting to think um and and anyone in high school that's watching, the kids at lunch, they really – no, listen. I just remember being in high – I hate – God, people are so cruel in high school. In my high school, you have no idea what it was like. It was literally hell on earth.

Really? See, I didn't have that. I grew up in a really rough town. Yeah. And so I had – Frigging Weymouth. I had to get ready to throw some bows after class. I literally had to fight girls after class who were waiting for me outside. I was like David.

I was like David. I had to fight Goliath. You have no idea what I went through. I can't believe that. I just remember like so many kids struggled in school, like with with friends and stuff and just always, always be there for the kids that are sitting alone at lunch. I remember there were kids at lunchtime and oh my gosh, please, Jesus. I know you were sitting with all the kids who had no one to sit with. I did. I did. kids who had no one to sit with. I did. I did. I was that kid that would sit with the kids that had no friends and be that for someone because a lot of people don't even have parents. They

come from really broken homes. They're sad. They feel hopeless. And then they have to go to school and they don't have any community of friends. So be that for someone in school. I see that. I remember seeing that all the time. It used to break my heart. Me too. You know, I used to always sit with the kids who I don't want to sit with too. Okay. This is another thing that I would tell my younger self. Yeah. Tell me. Don't stop putting your identity in boys. Stop worrying so much about boys. Like stop talking. Stop. Just, it's not about, it's okay. You have enough time. I wanted to grow up so badly I remember I used to watch like high schoolers go into the movie theater like as a group of friends with boys and stuff

and as a kid and I would be like I can't wait to do that one day yeah I was in relationships since I was 15 years old and if I could honestly go back and tell my younger self something, it would be just enjoy your friends. Friends. Be young. Everyone's trying. I tried to grow up so fast. Yeah, I know. And I honestly have no regrets in my life.

And the one thing that I wish I could go back on was that I just was a kid. Yeah, me too. And, like, enjoyed my friendships and stayed pure. Yeah. Stayed pure. That's another thing I would tell my younger self. Save yourself. There's a reason why God says to save yourself from marriage.

And I see so many young girls that we meet and they just, they're broken. They have broken hearts and their minds are broken. And it's because they're giving themselves to boys, especially at a young age. And we can't, I hope you guys can listen to us and I hope we can encourage you to just save yourself, save yourself for marriage. Another thing that I would tell myself is just to listen to my parents and to understand that like I, my parents just want the best for me. And it's just like, I wish I would have had a better understanding of who God was when I was a kid, because I probably would have had a better understanding who my parents were and I would have respected them more. And I would have listened to them more because now I can understand now that

like, and I looked at God the same way that I did my parents. I'm like, who is this person trying to put all these rules on me, trying to withhold all these things from me? And who's trying to stop me from living my best life? But a parent, an earthly parent and our parent in heaven, all they all have the same goal. And it's to protect us. And it's because they want the best for us. And Ephesians 6, 1 to 3 says, children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. Obeying your parents is just as important as obeying God. And it's one of God's commands.

And it's what's best for you. And I just encourage you, the sooner you stop trying to fight your parents on things, the sooner you're going to live a more peaceful, joyful life. I spent my whole life purposely trying to go against my parents just because of that rebellious spirit in me. And I just, if I honestly could take one thing back, it would be that not only did I do myself such a disservice, but I also hurt my parents in the process. And luckily they know I'm a kid and so it's okay. But I just wish I could go back.

I mean, I know when I get to the point where like my parents are old, I'm going to look back on all all the time I can't picture you being rebellious like this it's so I know I know it's really crazy but it's because you actually are opposite now I am but that is truly that is the work of Jesus Christ he is the only thing that could he can like he truly makes everything new and he can he can make even the most wild people tame and calm. Yeah. So, yeah. What would I tell my younger self? I would tell my younger self, honestly, that you're safe. I grew up and I had to grow up really quick because I, you know, I tell you guys a lot.

I was my dad had raised me, but he was always at work. And I was basically the parent very young. I raised my sister and I lived my life like basically just in survival mode, not feeling safe, being the parent. And it's, it's hard when you're at such a young age and you are like leaning on your own might. And it's almost like now as I'm older, I'm almost more of a child now than I was as a kid because I know that I'm safe in God. And I know that I'm walking. I walk with God. So I walk in peace.

I walk in surrender. I know that I'm safe. I know that I have a dad that is like protecting me. And, and, and yeah. And so I didn't know that when I was younger. And so I lived in a lot of fear and, um, and I just, that's what I would tell my younger self that you don't have to be scared. It's all going to work out. You have a dad that loves you. He's protecting you. He's watching over you. He's going to help you. He's going to work out you have a dad that loves you he's protecting you he's watching over you he's going to help you he's going to work everything out for you um wow yeah I wow

to go off of that I simply just wish if I could tell my younger self to read the bible if I could tell my younger self if you you, I mean, no matter who you are, how old you are, I encourage you, if you don't read the Bible yet, you start today. And I really implore you that today's the day you start, because if you've listened to us at all, you would know that it is truly Jesus, which is the word is Jesus in the flesh. That is what transformed our lives and changed us and healed our mental health and everything. But like if I started reading the word early, like I know God has divine timing for everything. And that's why he did everything. It was also it all happened the way it was supposed to.

However, if I can't even imagine who I would have been if I started reading the word like when I was a teenager and I knew and I like advanced in that knowledge of who God was so early like the authority that I would have had at such a young age and the things that I could have done for God like I can't even imagine who I could have been you know I know when we were we were at this worship night with these kids and they and I had seen I'm seeing such a movement in this generation, by the way. But I remember the preacher said, I have my eight-year-old son, and he's already reading the Bible, and I see his life changing before my eyes.

If I could have been that young reading the Bible and knowing the knowledge and the truth at such a young age, my life would have been a lot different. And so I just hope in this next generation or if any mothers or fathers are listening that they introduce the Bible to their children young. I know that's what I'll be doing. And I'm sure that I know that's what you'll be doing as well. It's the most important thing to do. It's the first thing you do because that's the truth. And that's where you're going to find safety and comfort. And that's how you're going to live a life of peace.

Yeah. I truly live a life of peace. Even if I'm walking in a storm or if I am in a moment of darkness, I know that the light of God is carrying me through. And when you live like that, your life is just so good. You have no idea how good life is when you have God walking beside you. So true. And I wish I had that at a young age. Yeah.

You know? I think to go off of like telling parents, if you're a young kid, start reading the word. If you're a parent, raise your kids in the ways of the Lord. Like truly, even if they're a baby, start reading them the Bible. And then like try when they, as soon as they can even start to understand, try to help them gain an understanding of who the God of the Bible is. And it will, it'll change your life. It'll change their life. And you just set your kid up for success for the rest of their lives. I can't wait to have kids just so I can

see them discover Jesus before my eyes. That is what I'm so excited for. I think, I think what's going on right now is as kids, because of social media, I mean, more, more so now when I was younger, we, I only have like, we didn't have as much social media, but you were like living the, I'm seeing like my sister and her friends and like, they're so consumed by the world. They're living the ways of the world. And it just, you're going to go down a path of I'm sorry. You're going to go down a path of destruction living by the ways of the world. And it's really hard as a young kid. We're like sitting there down a path of destruction living by the ways of the world. And it's really hard as a young kid. We're like sitting there on Instagram and TikTok and we're comparing ourselves

and we want to be like this one and that one. And it just leads to feeling unworthy and stressed and anxiety. Somebody wrote advice. This goes off of what you just said. Advice that they would give their younger self. Everything the world sells you as liberating actually bonds you to evil anxiety and depression and this has been like one of the biggest things of my life is realizing I'll never forget when I really first started to have a spiritual awakening um and it's different than like how other the worldly people would describe a spiritual awakening I literally just realized all of a sudden one day that like everything I've ever it's when I started reading the bible everything I've ever been taught about life by society by media by the world is all

backwards and it's all wrong and like so many different types of movements so many things in the world so many things that culture pushes on you, the things that culture tells you to care about. None of it actually matters. And the biggest thing of my life is just being like I like the morals that I have now, the things that I value and the things that I care about. I'm so proud. I care about. I'm so proud. Both of us were so proud to like, for example, believe in, you know, tradition, traditional marriage, traditional households, traditional roles in marriage, like things like that, that if you told me years ago, these are things that I would believe in and care about, I would have been like, that's crazy. Feminism. Like, see, see, she's on this one on her

own. I was raised by a dad who always taught me about traditional roles and we did not grow up with feminism no I didn't grow up with feminism either but when I like honestly and I'm gonna be completely real when I moved to LA and you just and I'm 18 years old and I'm just listening to what everyone says and it's like independent woman do what you want women do you we're I mean, there's just so many things. I, if I could tell my younger self, I would be like, dude, everything that society and Hollywood and the media is telling you to believe in, do the opposite. You know, do the opposite, do what God says to do. Listen to God's word. Those like weird Christians, they're actually

right about everything they're saying. It's true. And then another thing too, I just like your younger self. I just know that when I was growing up, it was really hard for me to feel confident and to feel like just good about myself because that's when social media again started and we're constantly comparing ourselves to everyone and we're constantly trying to be something. And I just, oh, you guys, just anyone who's young, who's feeling like, who's struggling in their confidence, your confidence, it's not about outward appearance. It's not about comparing, having to be like this one on social media, truly focus on God and he will show you who you are. You will have so much confidence if you just focus on God. I can't even tell you. I was someone who

was all about my hair and makeup and in boys and putting my identity into guys and my career. And so I was constantly just like, that's where I found my confidence in modeling. If I, you know, my achievements in men getting compliments from men and it only left me feeling so worthless. And it wasn't until I let that part of me die and I gave myself to Jesus. And I just, I don't even care anymore. I don't care about social media. I don't care about any of it. And it's so freeing. All I care about is what Jesus thinks and obeying him and walking in the will of God. And I have so much confidence because of that, because I'm doing, I'm living right. I'm doing the right thing. And, and I'm, I'm being a servant to others. That's what brings me confidence. That's what makes me feel worthy and good. Yeah. Which before I was just like living the ways of the world. I was

constantly seeking validation from others. And that's just, and I, and it's hard when you're young. It really is. It is. That's so beautiful. I love what you said about social media and coming from two people who are kind of like in the social media world now. Can we give our friends a little bit of an insight into what actually happens? Because the truth is, and I know you hear it a thousand times, but I want you to hear it for real from us that don't compare yourself to anybody on social media because what you see is not real. I promise you, like, sure, it might be like 5% real of what their life is like or what they look like, but chances are they don't always look like that. They probably don't have as much money as they look like they do. They're probably not having that much fun as they look like they do.'s the truth it's a highlight reel none of us put we say it all the time we go through so much and like we bleed

everything out on here but if you were to just look at our social media you would not see anything that we go through and it's a daily thing that we go through things we cry every day like you don't see any of that no I'm not kidding none of it's real you guys of that. No, I'm not kidding. None of it's real, you guys. And and like I I'm not kidding. I used to spend half of my days like taking photos, putting my best photo up, getting the amount of likes. And I know that that's the way of the world right now. And there's so much more to this life than that. And the minute I laid that down and of course, I love we love to take beautiful photos. We love to post. We're girls. We love to do that stuff. But as soon as I laid that down and I stopped making

that my priority, that's when I found true confidence and happiness because there's just so much more to life than social media and putting up photos and seeking attention. And I know it's hard for you young people, but there's more to life. There's so much more to life and God wants you to do more than just be about appearance and outward, outward worldly, worldly things. Amen. So true. Yeah. This is something really personal to me, but it should be probably personal to everyone because we all do it in our own ways. A lot of the things that people wrote in were saying something they would tell their younger self is to stop running away slash numbing the pain because it only makes it worse. I, you guys know, I have a whole history with

having to get sober. Ari has her own ways in which she tried to numb her pain or run away from it or distract herself. And I've distracted myself with so many things. And the truth is you can try to outrun your pain as much as you want. It will always catch up to you sooner or later. And the only advice that I can give to you is you bring everything to the feet of the cross and you face everything that you're going through coming from somebody who like we talked about in the untangle episode tries to run away from her emotions you fit you just can't you have to face it you have to feel it and you have to give it to Jesus and trying to numb your pain through substances will never work it will always fail you and it will

truly just exasperate every single one of your issues and make it so much worse. I was in such a vicious, toxic cycle with alcohol. It was the only thing that made me feel better. And then it just left me feeling worse. And then I did it again to feel better. And then I was worse than I was before. And it's just, it's, it's never going to end. There's only one person. That's why Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice once and for all. He's the only one who can heal you once and for all. He's the only one who can take away the pain once and for all. Go to Jesus. I love you. I'm so proud of you. I love you. It's funny you say that because I, I had question too and I had just wrote down embrace your weakness.

Yeah. Because we don't know how to deal with emotions. My whole childhood, I kept my head down and I kept going. I didn't know how to. No, no. Great point. Sorry. I truly did not know how to.

And I was embarrassed because I grew up in a family. They were like, get over it. And so just recently, when I really broke the way I did, I had no choice but to just bleed out everything. And it has been the most liberating, freeing thing of my life. I love the scripture that says, I love the scripture that says, my grace is significant. I'm sorry. My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness.

And when he says my grace, it means empowerment. As long as you stay connected to him, everything will be all right. That's when he works perfectly in you, in your weakness. That's when I found him. That's when he was able to seriously say, okay, R, now I'm ready to work because you came to my feet and you said, I can't do it anymore by my own might. And you gave it and I gave it to him. And that's when he said, okay, my faithful daughter, now I can do the work that I've always wanted to do in you. And yeah, I think it's powerful. I think weakness, I think strength is beautiful. But when you're weak and you go to God

and you say, Jesus, I can't do this anymore. I need you. I'm weak. I'm just, I'm suffering. I don't know what to do. Who do you want me to be? Come into my life and show me. I surrender it to you. That's when he can really start changing your life. Your life is going to change when you do that. It's beautiful. It's so beautiful. I think a good thing to tell people is, and we talked about it on the Renewing of the Mind episode where we're just like you have to be aware of your weaknesses and you bring up weaknesses like if i could have told my younger self it's to start watching out for my weaknesses start watching out for my flaws and and in the areas in which i can succumb to you know bad habits or or or sinful things And just like, what do I resort to when I'm not feeling

good? And just being aware of it. And that's what I encourage you to really be introspective and reflect and take a look inwards and be like, what are my weaknesses? And how can I like get ahead of those things so I don't fall into temptation and so I don't fall into bad habits. Yeah. And it's almost like that, that again, like that childlike faith, like that is truly what I feel like I have in my adult life. It's like, I know that God is going to take care of everything. So I literally, I, even in my dark times, I just walk knowing he's going to take care of it. And I just encourage you guys just to go to him like a child, go back to that and be, go to him like a child and just, yeah, it's that childlike faith. Beautiful. We love you guys so much. I think one of the last things, I mean, I saw so many things of people writing that they would say that they're proud of themselves. Like if they could tell their

younger selves, one thing would be that they're proud of themselves. And I would tell my younger self for sure that I'm also proud of her. And I'm sure you would tell your younger self that you were proud of Lil Ari and just like, you should be proud of yourself. You really should be. If you're watching a faith-based podcast, if you're watching something, if you're reading the Bible, if you're trying to get close to Jesus, if you're even like thinking about pursuing a relationship with Jesus, that's incredible. If you're being obedient to the word of God, that's incredible. You should be proud of yourself. You've been through so much. We've been through so much and God knows only, you know, and only God knows what it took to get you to where you are and the battles you face and the storms that you've gone through. And I just, I'm proud

of you. Ari's proud of you. God is so proud of you. It hasn't been easy. It's been a lot. You have scars, you have hurt, you have trauma, but you're here, you're standing and whatever has tried to take you out, couldn't take you out. And guess what? It never will. Through the power of Jesus, it won't. You should be proud of yourself. That was good. They should be proud. And you should be proud.

You've come through so much. You should be. Yeah, the fact that you guys are even watching this tells me that you guys are chasing Jesus. And we are so proud of you. You young girls and guys that are watching us right now, we are so proud of you. You young girls and guys that are watching us right now, just chase it. We are so proud of you. It's incredible. We love you so much. Thanks for coming to our New York episode. We had a lot of fun. Thank you, Chris. You ready to accept Jesus or what? Okay. All right. We love you guys so much. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May he make his

face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May he turn his face towards you and give you peace and joy and love. May the spirit of God fill you up head to toe. We love you so much. We love you guys. Thank you.