We are all a Work in Progress

Christy: [00:00:00] Hello, everyone. We’re so glad that you’re joining us here today. I’m Christy

Grace: erin And I’m Grace and you’re listening to

Christy: The thanks mom podcast. Yeah. This is great. Yeah. We’re glad to be back. We’re still working out the kinks and trying to figure how good times for recording for grace because Grace’s at school.

Grace: And slightly new technology and yeah. So hopefully it’ll work better.

Christy: So I’m hoping so. So, sorry if you were. Waiting for. With bated breath for our new newest episode to come out. We’re a little bit late on that, but like I said, we’re still trying to work out the best time to record and kind of get ahead of.

Grace: Schedules new school year and last week was easy because the first weekend in school and I didn’t have a tone work. And all of a sudden I was like, I have no free time this week. I have so much homework to do mom.

Christy: Oh, my gosh. [00:01:00] I know. That’s different for you? Well, I guess when you were in Poland you had homework, but it was just kind of different.

Grace: We really didn’t have homework. It was very much the style of do what you need to do to be ready for the exam. And which was fine and so that did entail some reading and notes and stuff, but like, it wasn’t like, oh, you have homework for every class, which, you know, it was just different style. And some universities even over here in America do that, but we’re a small college, so we still have homework. Yeah. Because you can still grade it, is what I think, I don’t know. So, yeah.

Christy: Class sizes and how many sessions they have are probably smaller. And it works for the professors. Yeah, which is totally different for me, because I did not have I mean, I might have papers due at Michigan state. It was like, you kept up, like you read what you needed to read for the exams. You might have some papers depending on the class. Possibly a project. And I think it depends on your major too.

Grace: Yeah, I know. I didn’t think cause everyone was like, you really have homework in college. I was expecting, not have like [00:02:00] weekly assignments and you just have papers and quizzes and tests and that stuff, but not at homework. But then I had it all four years. And I was like,

This is different, but then I was like, I think it’s just because you have enough. You have a smaller class, you can assign homework and grade it still. You know, right. Totally. You can manage that. Versus MSU, you have so many students, right? No, it makes sense. To keep track of that. I don’t know, that’s my thought process on why they do it like

Christy: So. How was your week though? That you felt you feel behind, but you feel like you’re.

Grace: I feel like may not be behind in work. I feel like I’m behind in understanding.

And so I feel like I’m, then I get to the homework and I don’t understand what I’m doing. So then you, so then I have to pause and figure out, like, try and learn. The material. Because it wasn’t, you know, for various reasons, sometimes class, I just. I’m not being a great student and I’m not focusing well the way it could [00:03:00] be. Other times it’s like, this is just moving too fast. And I literally.

Yeah I can’t keep up. No, I need to put time in outside of class, which So in that sense, I felt behind this week, it’s like I’m struggling to get work done. Cause I don’t know how to

So I have to take time to figure that out before I can actually turn in what’s due. So I tried to. I hammered through a good amount of stuff this weekend. And I didn’t really do it. I mean, I did have fun, but. I was thinking about sitting outside or going to the beach or something, but. You went to the beach Friday, but I thought about going to the beach during

You know, but I was like, you know, what, if I get it, I kind of have a good rhythm. Now, now that I kind of see how all my classes are playing out and I pushed this weekend. So it was like, all right then, I mean, next weekend I’ll be home. But the weekend after that, I’m like, then I’ll have, I won’t be, it won’t be like this weekend where I just was like, I just need

Now going to feel a lot more peaceful. And then I’ll get to go home for the weekend and I won’t be as overworked. Like I was this weekend. And then if I [00:04:00] keep up that pattern, so I can just kind of see the flow of how all of the classes are going to work. So I’m I’m just staying on top of stuff. It won’t be an overwhelming load.

For the most part. Well, it it’s still I was just talking to somebody It’s like if I can get through this week, hopefully by the next week, it’ll be more assemblance of routine. Now that this’ll be the first five day week of, you know, The school year and. Because of the holiday and you know, that type of thing, but.

Admist all of this though. I did have a funny story that just actually happened yesterday.

Yeah, what is it? Well, so dad and I were finally like, it was beautiful outside. And I was saying I had, we had had a very busy few days and. All day, Friday, specifically, Thursday, Friday, and even up to this point on Saturday. So we’re like, let’s sit here by the pool, let’s watch some football on the laptop and.

The little kids are out swimming and out of the blue, your brother, my seven and a half year old, Peter, [00:05:00] is like, so.

They were getting into the water here and their like Peter in the Bible walked on water. Right. Mom, kind of a little bit. I was like, well, Remember, he got out the boat to see Jesus, but then he started to sink because. He wasn’t trusting God. And I said, but then Jesus saved him and, and I think he was trying to be funny, like getting in the pool, like, look, I’m Peter. I can walk on water. And then he’s thinking

And he’s like, so basically. If he didn’t trust God. He could have died and drowned and we’re like, Yeah, I guess that’s why we trust the Lord. He saves us. He’s like, so basically he would have been the apostle who drowned and died and I would have been named after him. That’s kind of lame.

And he used the word lame. And your dad and just looked at each other and just died. Laughing. Did he just say that. Like he’s like, yeah. That would have been a lame [00:06:00] apostle that just die and drown and not trust God.

And I just was in stitches inside. Like we’re trying not to laugh out there and your dad looks at me. And just just goes, did he say that like call St. Peter lame. And I’m like, uh huh. Yup. Basically, well, I said technically, St. Peter, he would have been Named after this, but I’m like, no, instead you’re named after.

You know, see Peter, our first Pope, you are, you are rock and upon rock. I’ll build my church, but no, if you hadn’t trusted God, you would have been the lame apostle, I guess.

Yeah. I told my roommate that story last This is my brother. And she was like, she said the same thing. She was like, I’m pretty sure that if that had happened, he wouldn’t be named Peter then. So my parents probably would’ve picked a different name, right.

Christy: But he couldn’t take it to there.

Grace: But at the same time, I don’t know if I was thinking that smart at. At the age of seven. Well, good thing. It worked out for him, you know, like just the weird theological insights peter has sometimes.

Christy: They’re just [00:07:00] crazy. Cause it’s all the, what ifs. It’s like, well, what if this, or what if that.

Grace: He just got such an imagination. I’d take pride in it. I’m like, he’s my godson. So my prayers must be working because he’s thinking through these things, you know, Or you need to be praying more. Grace, come on. He must be thinking about things he’s like, well, I’m glad he trusted God.

Christy: I know. I guess so. But it wasn’t even that it wasn’t, well, I’m glad he trusted God. It worked out and I’m named after this awesome state. That’s what I would’ve said. It was like, well, no, he didn’t trust God. That would be lame.

Grace: It wouldn’t be lame to not trust God.

Christy: Yes. So I was just like, okay, so. All right. Well, do you have one. A funny one or a God moment from this week before we

Grace: I hope Gracie’s not annoyed with me for saying this, but I’m going to do it anyways. So she’s doing her clinicals. Like she’s a nursing major. She’s got clinical. So she got to do an ambulance ride along. And so she was in the ambulance and she like took a video like she’s riding, but like the siren wasn’t going, it was just her in the back. It’s not [00:08:00] like anyone was there.

And she’s all strapped in. So I sent it. It was just like on Snapchat. And I was like, send me one, like when the sirens going off or like, or maybe I texted her and she’s like, I can’t, there’s a patient And I was like, well, the siren has to go off before you have a patient. So just send me something before that happens.

Later that day, I got a video of her being in there and it’s going.

So cool.

Christy: That’s so funny.

Grace: But not that I want there to be an emergency, but if you’re going to be there to help with emergencies, I would like to see the cool part.

So, I kinda of geeked out for I was like that sound cool.

Christy: That’s so funny. Oh my goodness. Anyways. All right. Well, we should morph in here. Yeah. And what.

Grace: Well mom, do you have a God moment this week? We should try trying to wrap these in.

Christy: I know. Well, I thought you said you had one, so that’s what I was. I’m wondering, I mean, I know I probably did have lots of God moments.

I actually had some just last night, I think just with the transition with you and Gabe being away. And. [00:09:00] We were at. Date night at our church just started these up. Cause it’s the fall here. We’re watching a video, like sharing a meal together, watching a video series discussing at tables. And it’s just something that’s been striking me. And.

And it was thinking about, but it was cool to verbalize, like it was talking about our hearts being restless and Saint Augustin, and I’ve really been praying. Just for St. Monica and St. Augustin’s intercession like St. Monica has just, as my kids have gotten older to spend a. One of those best friends, saints and Saint Augustin, just through his conversion. I’ve just asked him a couple, novenas for his intercession. And.

That was some of them. Just about where is your fulfillment coming from? And. This kind of actually ties in with their topics. So this is actually really good because we’re going to talk about being a work in progress. So it was going to actually share this later, but I’ll share it now. And it was talking about how our heart is restless until it rests in God.

And I had been contemplating that. And so [00:10:00] it was neat that it came up in this video and then one. Of the questions was about, you know, when are you restless? And I. Or how have you worked through that restlessness or needed God or seen it? And it was neat to be able to verbalize. To my group. About just some of like either the struggles and how I see like God bring me through things and then I might retreat. But then how the retreating.

Is a recognition of needing God again, because I become restless again. And that we’re always this work in progress. So it was really kind of cool. So I can expand on that in a little while, but I didn’t know if you had a God moment, but my God moment, there was just the fact that I was able to kind of verbalize it.

And I’m very much a verbal processor. Like grace, you are too. But being able to hear me say it and put it into words like this is what I’ve been praying through and actually. I don’t know, it was just a holy spirit moment of seeing like, yeah, this is what’s going on. And I have been restless, but the Lord keeps bringing it back and being able to say it out [00:11:00] loud, just kind of, you know, how that kind of just makes it a little more true and a little more real. And.

Be able to recognize it. So it was like sharing with the group, but also very personal and internal for me to be able to say it. So that was really nice. And it was a blessing for me. Even though the actual situation, hasn’t always been easy because it’s transitioning. So I was grateful for that type of holy spirit moment that like, no, I am working and you still, this is going on and you’re kind of having this manifestation of it. So that was really cool. How about you?

Grace: Cool. I. It’s just the beginning of the school year. So I’ve been a little stressed and I particularly this week kind of overwhelmed with. Just like. Wow. Am I going to be able to understand this and like do well in these classes, like just kind of overwhelmed the that’s really confusing and I don’t understand that. Am I ever gonna figure this out kind of.

Thing and, you know, it’s week two. So you’re like I have how many more weeks of this? So I was just feeling some of that this week and I was in class. And it was kind of having that vibe where I’m like, I have no. [00:12:00] I have no idea what’s going on. Like, you know, and instead of being like, it’s all right, I have the notes. I can go study and figure it out. I’m kind of just.

You know, just sitting in my stress and I had brought to class some. Like I made a cup of tea before I went. And I have my old travel mug and I have a sticker of St. Gianna Mola on it, actually. Oh yeah. And then it just, it was just one of those holy spirit moments. I’m just thinking of this now when a thought pops in your head that I’ve had this one before. I’ve looked at this picture before, but this another never occurred to And so I was just looking at it and I was like, She was a doctor. She did a lot of schooling. Like, you know, a lot of times we talk about her as a mother and sacrificing for her children, which is great. And I love that story. If you don’t know about San Gianna. They found a tumor. When she was pregnant. And. She had them removed the tumor, but that still left her at risk to die, but it would have saved the baby, but it did save the baby. And after she gave birth She passed away a few days later. So she’s just known for choosing to give her life for her baby.

But it just kind of, all of a sudden I was reminded of like, [00:13:00] oh, she’s a doctor. She had a lot of schooling. That took a while. That took a lot of dedication harder than my, my major, but I’m feeling overwhelmed by right How difficult this is right now, it was just kind of like a new. I don’t know, the last few years saints have just been me running. Not that they haven’t before that, but I’ve been drawn, like redrawn to the saints in the last two or three years. And it was just kind of like, oh, this is another Saint friend of mine that I can really relate to in this season of life, because she would have been in school for a while too.

And it Really. Demanding of her. And it would have been a lot of intellectual energy and dedication, and it was just kind of like. Okay. She gets it. So I’m going to pray to her for intercession and I’m going to just like, You know, Lean. Like call out to her when I’m in class. And it’s like, okay, I don’t get this, but you probably had moments like this too. And you made it through.

You graduated, you had all this and you still want on to be a That was her vocation for however many years. The med student and. [00:14:00] So that was just cool. Like that, that part of her story had never stuck out to me. And it was like in class looking at that sticker on my cup and I was like, okay. I can do this. It can be hard and I can do this. That’s fine.

The new side of her that I have never thought of, of like another person I can relate to. That’s gone through something I’ve gone through. And that’s what I love about this. This is when you find something about them that you’re like we had the same thing and there’s proof that you got through then I can get through it too. Right.

Christy: That’s cool, especially. I love those holy spirit moments that happen. Like that in class. Like that’s exactly where you find that extra ordinary in the ordinary. Right? Right. That’s what I even found.

With the date night of this thing That restlessness. And because it was funny, I was listening to Fr. Pete McCormick. I’m on halo right now. And he’s doing like these daily reflections.

And his whole thing was on that same thing that morning. It was 20. It was coming back from, I don’t know, volleyball game. And it was like, [00:15:00] he was talking about restlessness and. The same thing from St. Augustin in that quote. Our hearts are restless until they rest in you. His whole thing was. So now I got to figure out if I’m restless and are uneasy, or if I just have heartburn.

It’s just, it’s thing and he’s just funny and lighthearted like this, but it has just tidbits and. Anyway, I’d love When we can slow down enough to find the extra ordinary in the ordinary. You know, if it’s going to class in a sticker that reminds us of that. And I think Saint Gianna was also. One because she’s modern day Saint is similar to St. Zellie

martin in terms of being a wife she’s not martyred and didn’t become a nun. Afterwards, like a lot of, a lot of the saints or the older saints. That. That had a Vocation of marriage. Became didn’t have a career. So I think she’s known because she was a student, had a career, was Did not go into like some type of cloistered or

As a [00:16:00] nun or a sister, So there’s very few of them. I just heard that, I think on her similar, maybe that was around St. Zaley that might’ve been when we did the episode on St. Zelie Martin, too. But I just thought that was kind of cool for those who are seeking vocations like that, that there are some more modern day saints like that.

Grace: Yeah. And even when you’re talking about vocation, she, I think she practiced medicine after-school for two-ish years before she met her husband. And they, they, within a year of meeting were married, I think. So it was faster. And she was older too, but it was kind of a cool, Obviously her vocation was marriage, but this whole long process, like longer than normal college process came before that. And then that’s how that was her vocation. To just follow that and be faithful for a while to.

Christy: That is awesome. So we wanted to talk about, we kind of, touched on this, just a little bit about being a work in progress I heard this and I was struck on this and I thought it was very timely. For this time [00:17:00] of year when Grace and I were discussing what we want to talk about this week. Especially because we’re starting a new school year. So I know we we’ve talked about different thingswith that, but how as we start to learn new things or. What was striking me, I guess the most about when I think of a work in progress is. Even though I might think I have learned it all. I’m still not there yet. There’s still something more to learn. And while we’re doing that. It’s like the constant. Having to surrender and having to trust and keep coming back to those. Points in my own life of. Okay, where am I at with us? Okay. I thought I made progress and instead of getting frustrated with myself, the way that I was listening to somebody else talk about it. It’s like, no. Just like with education, we should always be learning. We should always be growing. We should always be moving forward in that way. But[00:18:00] not to be frustrated with ourselves, but see how the Lord has actually. Still working in a loving way in us. And it was actually encouraging. Like there’s still more work for me to do, but also that God loves me that much, that he wants me to keep drawing to him and closer to him. And learning to love him more.

So that. I’m just, yeah, I’m just this work in progress. And so it kind of goes. Off the scripture verse, which is Philippians one six, which is I’m confident of this, that the one who began a good work among will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. So, Kristen, I just wanted to kind of talk about that

Grace: Yeah. I feel like. That’s just been something good to relate to like, just in school. Like, I don’t know, I’m relating a lot of this back to my current life, but that’s how these things tend And, and I know there’s stuff too, because I’ve been doing [00:19:00] more of You know, I’ve been trying to be better at like, mom’s gotten into all of your coaching world and mindset and all of that and how that takes intentional work to grow and be like, this is how I want to have an outlook on life. I don’t have to be.

A slave to my circumstances, I can. You know, have a different. Outlook. And that’s. And that can get frustrating at times because you’re in the process of going, but you don’t. It takes a long time to get to the end. And so even like in school where it’s like, okay, I learned this, it still feels like so long ago.

But I am learning. And so. And it’s hard when you can’t just like. Check something off or see yourself being done. And yeah. Like, whatever in that sense. You don’t always see the, the very clear of like, okay. And I did, I put this work in, and this is the result. ’cause it’s like it’s a long process.

And. That’s been enlightening for me recently to be like, I think I used to, I’m just, I can be very much a [00:20:00] perfectionist as you guys probably know. And so it’s frustrating when I can’t always see. Clear fruit from the effort I put into things. But instead to just learn to be like my. Milestone I should just be proud of is, well, did I grow.

Did I learn something from this? Did I grow and do it better than I did last time? You know, Am I moving towards, am I moving closer to something rather than away from something, whatever that goal That’s been like a. Just a shift in my mind. Okay. That should be my goal. And in the end, I will still get to.

I still will get to the final goal. If I’m, if I’m sticking with everything, like if I’m staying with the Lord, if I’m sticking with. Just you show up every day, you do your schoolwork, you, you know, keep working on mindset, tools, things like that. It’s like, I will get to this, you know, all of a sudden you’ll look back behind you a few years and be like, wow, I’m completely.

I’m just in a completely different. Place than I was however many years ago. But when you’re in it, it’s kind of like how we’ve talked about the [00:21:00] Ordinary time podcast. Like when you’re It’s harder.

It’s it’s just harder when you’re in it. When you don’t see either the really low lows or the really high highs. Yeah the drudgery in the And so that’s just been a new encouragement for me to just find victory and celebrate growth, not just completion.

Christy: Yeah. That’s perfect. Grace. That should be a quote. Like. Yeah, victory is it can be growth and not completion. Like it really is a mindset thing. Just. That’s beautiful. I was going to equate this to I’m still in PT for my hip. And. I was frustrated. There’s these exercises I’ve probably been doing for the past couple of weeks. And. They’re just very hard because most of the stuff I was doing was like kind of challenging because.

You know, it was sore or my hip, or I didn’t have, have like all the flextion and mobility and flexibility of that. But now it’s like, I do have a [00:22:00] lot of that. And so now it’s actually. We’re in a strength training phase of like trying to train and strengthen the other muscles surrounding this. So I’m offering support, like getting back to like my core or like my, the, my back and my core, or like different areas around the joint to support it. Now that I have more mobility.

And so I’m doing these exercises the other day and my therapist is sitting there and I’m like, Sweating and just huffing and I’m like, these are so hard. Why I’ve been doing these? Why are they so hard? And she goes, well, We’re just kind of sneaky. Cause when we first started this, if you remembered.

I only had you do like one side each of 10 to try and get to 10. And then we’ve worked up more where we were like trying to work to 15 and now we did them. Like, then we added another set with another like extension. And now we’re up to like both of those two different exercises combined two sets of 15. She was like, so you have improved. Like, it was [00:23:00] really.

I didn’t even realize that like, in, in some ways, like she goes, that’s how we’re sneaky because we start out small. It hit me in the same way, in like a spiritual life, like, and what you just said, victory can be in growth and it doesn’t always have to be in completion. And I was like, I have gotten stronger. Look, I, I can do this. Look, I’m not quite up to 15 on both of these. And these are really hard, but wow, I am doing this and or my form is better and I’ve improved in how I’m doing it as well.

Cause she was saying that like, look at where before we were having to constantly, you know, correct your form or do you know, cause you want to do the things the right way to Do it wrong type thing. And it struck me too, when you were saying. I am a big completion person, too, like planning, you know, obviously you’re, my daughter is probably similar.

But like, I like to check things off. I like to have a list and check it off and move on. And I think when we’re talking about a work in progress, it can’t always be that way. And we have to get with a place that it’s [00:24:00] okay. Because there is. Growth there is this or. Like with my example at the beginning of this restlessness.

What I have found is that I thought. I had worked through this or you think you’ve overcome it? Why then do we have a struggle? Like when we look at struggles in our life, like. Okay. And, and where that intentionality and mindset comes back to go? No, I’m going to recognize. The extraordinary in this that I have learned some. Obviously, I’m not perfect. And there’s still more for me to learn. And for me, I think that was the. Big recognition with kids going off to college and trusting and surrender, or how is our family going to look? Our family dynamics are very different. I feel like we’re in these thirds now. I have a third in college. I have a third, High school kind of late middle school, high school. And they’re barely ever here. Because they’re busy with their stuff. And then I have these littles at home, in second and in preschool. Who are always around and [00:25:00] are great, but very active and still add each other a lot. And a lot of attention, a lot of focus, a lot of, you know, Reorienting. Okay. Now let’s do this. You know, let’s refocus over here where we went from the eight of us over the summer. Half the time. It feels like it’s only the four of us. Now that the school year has started. So I feel like God has brought me back to going, no. Now we need to like refocus your restlessness in. This is because you still are a work in progress. I still have more to do with you. And that’s not a bad thing. That’s not because you failed it’s because you got to a place that now I can bring you back to and you have the encouragement going, see I got through that darkness or I got through that struggle and I think God brings us here to go see, remember I am trustworthy. I am. Worthy of your love and your dependence, and I can bring you through that. So it’s kind of like that strengthening, like you might’ve started in this area, but you didn’t realize how strong you got that. You can actually become stronger now and keep doing that.

So that was just [00:26:00] really. Good for me to kind of be able to verbalize, but also to be able to recognize that. I think it keeps us humble. At least it keeps me humble. Like, Nope, I didn’t completely conquer that. There’s more work to be done. Like there’s always that it’s okay. That there’s always going to be work to be done because we’re striving for heaven.

And we should always be striving for heaven and we shouldn’t be getting to the place like, yup. Now I’m going to twiddle my thumbs for the rest of my life. Cause I’m complete and there’s nothing else to be done. And. What else, you know, what else should I be doing? I’m just going to sit here and it’s like, no, God still has a plan for you in this part of your life. And then the next part

And wherever, and he has areas that maybe you had done work in and you can grow even more in or to focus in a different area. And so I think for me, that’s how this has really struck me when somebody was talking about that, like the whole knowledge and learning. Like we can always learn more. We can always be growing. And [00:27:00] honestly not that we can, we should be because if we’re not growing and we’re not striving and we’re still not that work in progress, then we become complacent and we actually go backwards.

And so this was good reminders to me. And I don’t know, I’m just stuck on that. Grace. I think that was like such a holy spirit moment that you’re like victory. Can be in the growth and doesn’t have to be in the completion. I think I’m gonna write that on a huge sign somewhere. I think that’s really good.

Grace: I thought this too. And this is probably some of the mood, cause it’s just pouring even harder than when I mentioned it two minutes I love this stuff, but where you’re saying something about just like staying with him or like, look, I’ve got you through this, something like that, where like you stayed and you made it through. Something along those lines. It also made me think recently this is what this is. I feel like it’s branching a little bit. I’ve talked kind of about like, I love the image of like being in the boat and the storm. Right.

And that’s just been a really powerful image for me in a lot of ways. And especially this summer, I listened to something from Emily Wilson. [00:28:00] And she was like, even if you’re in the boat and you’re in the storm. And the storm is like your thoughts about everything like you know, it’s like, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, like, well, what do I do here? What do I do? Do I do this? Do I

And it was just her wording of like, if you’re in the storm of your head, Like it was just like, even if it’s caused by yourself. Christ is still in the center of that. And I was like, whoa. Cause usually I feel like it’s like, well, I’m busy with this and I’m busy with that. And it was just the way she worded it. I was like, oh my gosh.

Like it was like freeing to be like, well, he’s still there. Even if, if I think I just shouldn’t be this overwhelmed by whatever I’m going through. And all these, you know, these, all these things, I’m thinking about my life right now. Where I feel like there’s a storm in my head. It’s like, he’s also in that

But then there’s another trees to talks like when you’re suffering. Your. You’re so close to Jesus that he could kiss you. And. Just, just struggling through like, not awful, but I did come in prayer where I [00:29:00] was like, okay, Lord, I know I can get through this. It’s just the struggle of school. And it’s a lot. And I have moments of overwhelm, like.

And I was like, I know I’m going to get through this. I’m really trying to, you know, bring everything back to you when I’m like, feeling like it’s too much. Cause I know it’ll work out. You know, and I was like, but I was like, but I’m just being honest. I’m struggling right now. And then that quote from Mother Theresa came into into my mind. And then also the picture of like the storm of all the things going on around you. And it was even if everything feels crazy around you. It almost was like a reassurance You’re in the right place. Like you shouldn’t be in the storm because if you’re in the storm, you’re with Jesus and maybe that’s not always true. You could just be, let yourself be swept away. But there’s just a comfort of like, you’re supposed to be in this craziness right now. And that. Fine. And I’m here with you in the craziness and you’re struggling. Maybe, you know, I was, I felt like struggle more than suffer in the moment. I don’t feel like I’m quite suffering, but I’m struggling.

And it was like I’m with you. I’m really close to you when you’re struggling. Like. It was just, I don’t know. It was an interesting connection between that [00:30:00] mother Teresa quote and that image of the storm on the sea where he’s like, he’s sleeping in the boat. I love that where Can I be so internally peaceful and leaning on the Lord being like, yep, this is a lot, but I know it’s going to be fine. And I know in the end, we’re on this Rocky road and. Rocky sea. Storm and we’re going through, but you’re steering the boat. You’re calm, you see the storm and you’re like, and we’re going to get through in the end. I have no idea when this boat’s going to land, but I’m here and you’re not going to let it drown. So it doesn’t really matter when the boat lands like yeah.

Christy: That was just beautiful. Yeah. And I think that’s just really beautiful. I guess it just. My last thing was that I was wanting to say more was just that I think as we acknowledge that we’re a work in progress. There’s just a part of me that just wants to be so compassionate to myself. So I want you to be the [00:31:00] listeners loving to yourselves and compassionate that. This is a good thing. You know, and cause I think there’s a lot of things that like grace said at the beginning about, we just want it to be complete. We want to check it off. We want to move it. And, you know, set it aside. It’s done. And moved to the next thing. And for me as a person like that coming feeling like you have to go backwards. And I don’t, I, I think I needed to be able to learn how to talk to myself. Like, no, this isn’t going backwards. This is actually even deeper growth. Like it’s going to that next level. Like. Saint Teresa of Avila of going like there’s all those castles and the more interior castles and moving into that. So I guess that’s how I’m starting to see like a work in progress. Isn’t always.

The outside, it might, it might be kind of a completion of like this and the outside of a circle and then you’re going to a more inner sphere and then in more inner sphere. So it’s almost like the Lord is being able to take you deeper because he’s like, yes, you have actually overcome this thing. And even if it’s in the same area, now, I want to take you more deep [00:32:00]

Or now I want to bring you to the next thing. And just being able to recognize that it’s actually. The Lord’s love for us that we’re a constant work in progress and then being compassionate and loving and how we talk about ourselves in our own. Mine. And how do we treat ourselves? No, we are. It’s like that. Refiner’s fire. Like my heart’s one desire. There’s a song is to be holy.

Set apart for you, Lord. And I just love that. I sing A lot during lent, it comes But it’s just like you know, purify my heart. Oh God. Make it ever true. Purify my heart. Oh God. May I be like, you, you know, you’re the Potter, I’m the clay. And then it’s just this whole refiner’s fire. That’s my desire is to be like, you like make me like you. And so I, I just thought about that this week, as we thought about this topic is.

No, this is, this is a compassionate way. This is our Lord refining us and drawing us deeper to his heart. And we should look at it ourselves [00:33:00] as that as being loved and be loving. That to go deeper with our Lord who desires so much to have that closeness with us. So. Yeah. Anything you want to add Grace as we wrap up.

Grace: I have one last If you guys have watched the chosen, I love Mary Magdalene in the chosen. And there’s in season two, she comes, she had runaway and they went and found her and brought her back to the. Camp, and she’s just ashamed that she left in the first place. All this and

There’s this scene. So then she goes back to Jesus and she’s just like, I’m so sorry. I feel ashamed. I shouldn’t have done

and. She, I loved where he looked at her in the most loving way and he’s like, did you really think you’d never sin again? Not in like an accusatory, but like a.

Kind of silent in a sense of kind of like. Maybe, and he’s like someday, but not and that’s one of my favorite scenes where it’s like, He didn’t even have the expectation on her. That she wouldn’t fall again. [00:34:00] Right. That really struck me like. You know, But there was still hope. It’s like, we’re going to get there someday, stay with me and I’ll get you there. But he wasn’t in a rush. Like he was just like, we’ll get there, but, but we’re not there yet. And that’s okay.

And it that was probably my favorite scene from the entire chosen. I remember watching it. And also it was during a storm. So it was completely black outside because there’s a huge storm that went through. And then I watched it and that scene came on and then I was crying along with the storm going. Cause I was so beautiful. And then storms like this is cool.

Christy: Yeah. I just think it’s great. It just reminds us that this time is a journey. You know, it’s a marathon, it’s not a sprint race to get there. And, and the Lord’s walking with us each step of that, like, And when we can’t walk like that old, the footsteps poem of when we’re not able to walk. And there’s only one set of footprints.

It’s because he’s carrying And. I just think. [00:35:00] This work in progress. Doesn’t have to be a down trend like, oh, I’m still not there. No, it’s just a compassionate, loving. God’s with me this whole way. And I’m being formed in his image and likeness because that’s what I’m striving to do. And that’s what I want. And.

So go out and be a work in progress, everyone. And, and find those times when we can have the mindset of seeing that. Extra ordinary in the ordinary of how we were always growing and we keep growing. And keep striving because that’s what our Lord intends for us is. To become saints and. To really. Keep progressing.

And not be stagnant. So. I hope that you can subscribe, rate, review all those things. As grace always says and check us out on Facebook and Instagram, we’re at a thanks mom, podcast, my own. [00:36:00] Private professional page is Christina underscore underscore. M underscore underscore brown on Instagram and Christina Brown on Facebook. You can also email us as the Thanks Mom thanks mom podcast@gmail.com.

Grace: Yup. I think that’s Instagram. Facebook email.

Christy: Yeah. I think we got it. All right. I did it for the first time. Right. That’s kind of weird.

Grace: I’m proud of you. It wasn’t my turn

We will see you next week, guys. On the thanks mom podcast.