Jessi Morgan Devotions for the Christian Heart Podcast
Jessi Morgan in 2023 had a traumatic experience that shaped how she views life and her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God has laid it on her heart to share her experiences and inspire others to put God first in every aspect of their life like she finally did in hers. Having her daughter born 4 months early really made Jessi lean on the Lord for comfort and guidance. And today she stands here starting her own 10-15 minute podcast focusing on weekly devotionals about what God can do for you and what He's done for her.
Jessi Morgan Devotions for the Christian Heart Podcast
Generational Commitment
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We've finally reached the conclusion of our Joshua study with a special milestone—the 50th episode of Jessi Morgan Devotions and our first-ever guest! AJ Donaldson joins me to explore the powerful theme of Generational Commitment found in Joshua's final chapters.
The story begins with a potential misunderstanding when the eastern tribes build an altar that appears rebellious but turns out to be a memorial for future generations. This teaches us about the danger of assumptions and the importance of seeking understanding before judgment. How often do we jump to conclusions without first asking questions?
Joshua's farewell speech warns against compromise and being unequally yoked—a lesson that resonates deeply in our relationships today. Just as Joshua cautioned the Israelites about marriage to pagans, we must consider how our closest relationships shape our faith journey and values. The people we surround ourselves with inevitably influence who we become.
The most powerful moment comes when Joshua establishes his final covenant, challenging the people with the famous declaration: "As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." My conversation with AJ explores what this commitment looks like in modern life and how we create our own covenant relationships with God.
As Easter approaches, there's no better time to consider what resurrection looks like in your own life. What's your Jordan River to cross? What promised land awaits if you'll step forward in faith? Let this final Joshua study inspire you to embrace courage, commitment, and a covenant relationship with God that transforms not just your life, but generations to come.
Key Passages
Joshua 22, 23 & 24
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Hey everyone. Today is the 50th episode of the Jesse Morgan Devotion for the Christian Heart Podcast. I'm just so excited to conclude the study of Joshua. Today's devotional is titled Generational Commitment and we have a special guest. Our first guest on the podcast is today, to celebrate the milestone. Love you all, let's go. Hi, I'm Jesse Morgan. I used to just share home decor and renovation tips on social media, but now I'm sharing something even closer to my heart my journey and love for Jesus Christ, my Savior. Welcome to the Jessi Morgan Devotions for the Christian Hawk Podcast.
Speaker 1:This is a weekly devotional. I started back in May 2024, but the inspiration for it came much earlier. It was rooted in a faith journey that began when my daughter was born, four months early in 2023. Through that challenging time, god worked in ways that truly amazed me. On this podcast, I share personal stories of faith, woven together with scripture, to show just how incredible God's word can be in our everyday lives. My hope is that through these stories, you'll be encouraged, uplifted and reminded of God's love and presence, no matter what you're going through. So I invite you to spend less than 15 minutes with me each week as we reflect on these devotionals together. Let's all pray within Generational Commitment.
Speaker 1:Episode 50, key passages Joshua 22 through 24. Hey everyone, oh my gosh, can you believe we've made it to the final three chapters of Joshua, chapters 22, 23, and 24. Deep, deep stuff. And my gosh, this is it the conclusion of our study? What a journey. Honestly, I feel like I've been allotted land myself just by walking through this book with you all. I'll share more about that in a bit, but let's jump into these last chapters. What's so beautiful is that each one can stand on its own, but together they wrap up this story with so much power. This is why God's word is so timeless. It adjusts to where you are in life and it speaks directly to your heart in every season. So let's start with Joshua 22.
Speaker 1:Joshua 22 wraps up with all the tribes receiving their blessings and their land. Now remember, the tribes of Reuben, gad and part of Manasseh had already been given their land on the east side of the Jordan before the battle of Jericho and everything that followed. But even though they already had their land, they still crossed the Jordan and went into battle with the rest of the tribes. That kind of loyalty is so rare. Joshua thanked them and told them they were free to return to their land, but before they crossed back over, they built an altar and immediately the other tribes saw it and were ready to go to war. Why? Because building an altar like that, outside of God's instruction, looks like they were turning against him. So the other tribes were like, uh, we're not doing this again. They assumed rebellion and they were ready to fight, but thankfully thankfully they didn't jump the gun. They sent elders to ask why did you do this? And this was a response from Reuben, gad and Manasseh tribes.
Speaker 1:In Joshua 22, 24 through 27, it says no, we did it for the fear that someday your descendants might say to ours what do you have to do with? It says we said let us get ready and build an altar, not for burnt offerings or sacrifice, but as a witness between us and you and the generations that follow, that we will worship the Lord together. Wow, they weren't rebelling. They were making sure future generations remember that they all served the same God. That altar wasn't for sacrifice was a memorial that reminded me of a moment from when I was in third grade. Someone accused me of cheating on a spanish test. Someone assumed the worst of me, but I wasn't cheating. I just couldn't see the board.
Speaker 1:I needed glasses and hadn't told my mom yet I was literally getting glasses later that day after school. I should have told her weeks before, but I didn't. But I leaned forward during a test, during a Spanish test, to try and read the board and my teacher immediately walked over and put a giant F on my paper and walked away, never asked me what was going on. I was devastated. The next day I came in with my new glasses and when she saw me she was shocked. I ended up retaking the test and got a B plus. But that moment stuck with me. She assumed worst and she realized what happened. She actually apologized and we moved forward.
Speaker 1:The lesson here don't assume, ask, just like the tribes did. Imagine if they hadn't, if they had gone straight into battle over a misunderstanding, what a tragedy that would have been. That could have affected so many things. King david's lineage, which can, which also contributed to jesus christ lineage. Just imagine like, if certain things just happened, it would have messed up a lot of stuff.
Speaker 1:So now let's go into Joshua 23. Now this chapter feels like Joshua's farewell speech a bit, his final words as a leader. He had led with such courage and faith and he warned the people don't stray from God, don't marry into pagan families Don't pick up their ways. We all know the phrase being equally yoked. I agree with that. But because, honestly, when you're with someone long enough, their habits and their values start to influence you, whether you realize it or not. I wasn't all that into healthy eating before I met my husband, but he's a specimen Okay, incredible shape, always reading labels, trying to try and cleaner options, and now I'm way more aware of that. I'm way more aware of what I put in my body too. I can't have a husband who looks like he could go run a marathon at any moment and I look like I haven't seen a treadmill in 15 years.
Speaker 1:No, but seriously, imagine being with someone who doesn't share your faith. That's a whole different level. I had a childhood friend whose parents had different religious beliefs, neither Christian. Just to get that out of the way, one day her dad just left Said he was choosing his religion over his wife and three kids. That was his final answer. My mom told me that story and it broke my heart. I'll never forget it. God wants to be first in our relationships.
Speaker 1:That was Joshua's plea to his people. Don't compromise your faith. They had come so far. Why risk losing it all? I mean you, can you know? Could you imagine me a woman hosting a Christian, faith-based podcast, married to an atheist? I couldn't do it. I love Jesus too much, sorry.
Speaker 1:So on to chapter 24, final chapter of the book of Joshua. This one is just so good to me. So in Joshua 24, joshua is now 110 years old and before he dies, he makes one final covenant with the people. Let's look at Joshua 24, 25 to 27. It says on that day, joshua made a covenant for the people. He took a large stone and said this stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the Lord has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God. So let me just ask you this question, my friends.
Speaker 1:Today this is me talking to you. What is your covenant with God? What's your commitment? We know salvation is foundational, but beyond that, what does your relationship with God look like? What promises have you made? I looked it up Covenant in Hebrew is beret and if I said that correctly, if I didn't forgive me and it doesn't just mean contract, it's a relationship built on promises. So how will you uphold your promises to God? What will you do to keep him first.
Speaker 1:For me, it's this podcast. It's my anchor. It keeps me in the word, it keeps me reflecting, it makes me better. I honestly don't know what my spiritual life would look like without it. I thank God for this space.
Speaker 1:All the time and here's the thing Through every trial Israel faced, the one thing remained God was there. From Jericho's walls falling to the land being distributed to every tribe, god was there every single step. So I ask you again are you depending on God completely? What is your commitment to God? Are you committed completely? If not, why not? Because, let's be real, god can't give you your promised land if you're still acting like you're in the wilderness. That's old, doubtful, self-reliant version of you. It needs to die off. You need to be the new generation, the one that steps forward with faith and obedience, because the most memorable verse in all of Joshua sums it up perfectly Joshua 24, 15. But, as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. Amen, let's pray, heavenly Father. We will serve the Lord. Amen, let's pray, heavenly Father.
Speaker 1:Thank you for this study of Joshua. What a blessing it's been, whether it was one word or one breakthrough. I pray that someone listening was impacted. Thank you for always being near, for guiding us and for never giving up on us as we reflect on Joshua's courage and leadership. Help us to walk in that same faith and Lord, as Easter approaches. Thank you for Jesus, thank you for the cross, thank you for the empty tomb, thank you for the hope. We love you, we honor you. We give you all the praise In Jesus' name, amen. Well, friends, that wraps up our study of Joshua. Again, thank you for walking this journey with me. It's been so special and I'm praying that it encouraged your faith. Let's be that Joshua. Let's be that generation full of boldness, full of obedience, full of love, a generation that puts God first, no matter what. And hey, don't go anywhere just yet.
Speaker 1:Jesse Morgan Devotions Behind the Scenes. Starting right now, okay, welcome to Behind the Scenes of Jesse Morgan Devotions for the Christian Heart. I'm so excited today because, for the first time, I'm going to have a guest accompany me on my podcast, and I'm so excited to introduce a person that I have known for most of my life. He is the brother that I never had and my parents view him as my big brother, basically, and I'm so excited today to have AJ Donaldson on the podcast with me. Hello, my brother.
Speaker 2:Wagua and sisterin. How you doing, sister, I'm going to bring you into.
Speaker 1:Jamaica a little bit. I am awesome. I'm so excited to have you on my 50th episode, that's right.
Speaker 2:Yes, I'm so excited.
Speaker 1:Yes, I'm so excited. I know it's so crazy. In May of last year I started this journey, so I'm just so thankful for it and I wanted to do something special today.
Speaker 1:So having you on here, I just think it's just perfect segue into, like basically continuing what I discussed in my devotional today, when we talk about being unequally yoked, commitment, generational covenant with the Lord and things like that to really conclude our study with Joshua. I think Joshua has been one of the best studies I've ever done. I have never studied it in my life and going through it from January to now has been such a blessing. So I just wanted to have you on here today just to discuss some of those topics and things like that. So the first thing first, tell me a little bit about you, like share a little bit about your background. I just want people to know how awesome you are and how we are so connected.
Speaker 2:Share a little bit of background about myself. Well, before I do that, I want to definitely thank you for having me on. It is an absolute honor not just a privilege, but an absolute honor. 50 podcasts almost a year later, to get to that point that's a huge milestone. I know that's not easy. I know editing these things, taking the time on a Monday evening, like right now, to even do this, it was quite a commitment. So very proud of you, very happy that you have found a platform where you can pour a lot of your spirit, a lot of your talk right, a lot of your innovations and things, your outlooks on life, your perspectives. So I'm happy that you have a place, because otherwise you was going to call me and tell me about it anyway.
Speaker 2:So I'm glad there's a place you can place it Amen.
Speaker 1:I know I'll be like AJ. I need to talk to you about this. You're like Jess let me put you in the schedule, let me put you in my calendar.
Speaker 2:There's a few people who know Jessica, not just McNeil, but Clark is saying amen, aj, we hear you. We love Jessica very much and she definitely has the gift of gap. We know that for sure. So if she, you know, using her powers for good, she's now using her powers for good in the most beautiful way as possible. But a little bit about myself. Like Jessica mentioned, I'm the brother she never had. She made me, never wanted. You know, thinking and debating about that, we go way, way, way back. Even funny, because when she shared the notes with me leading up to this particular podcast and this episode, I felt immediate flashback to our mutual high school that we graduated from several years prior to her, as she said, big brother, and was a little nervous but was happy to have those notes because it gave me a lot of beautiful context and in that context, to share a little bit about who I am in the world and how I choose to show up, growing up in private schools, growing up in a Christian home, by way of my mother, my late mother, yvonne Donaldson.
Speaker 2:It was very much spare the rod, spoil the child. It was very much spare the rod, spoil the child. My mom absolutely put the D in discipline, no idle hands at any time. There was your grades, and, yes, I love sports. I had the privilege of playing University of Miami football, but grades were first. That was actually not my claim to fame. My claim to fame really is the fact that I was a 4.0 GPA SAT score, primarily math as just the help to tutor her in math, literally student number one of one of my companies. But yeah, it was. It was really about the impact my mother made in my life, the sacrifice of a single mom allowing me to be in a position where not only did I get a full academic scholarship to the University of Miami, I had the privilege of playing football, but I also played jazz, saxophone and classical piano. I don't say that about me, to brag about me. I say that because, in honor of my mother, who I lost two years ago, and in honor of her and her legacy, I continue to work for the community with the community, through my foundation called the EPIC Foundation EPIC Experienced Professionals, impacting Communities.
Speaker 2:Jessica, what if I told you? This foundation started with two kids at our alma mater two kids, $1,000, just so they can go on their senior trip? Because we were frustrated, right, sis, we were frustrated that these kids that were coming from low-income homes and given an opportunity to go to a private school, through Step Up and McKay and all these different academic access points, was not given the opportunity to be able to have that full experience that we had as seniors. Right, right, those two kids 11 years ago this month, april 2025, so 11 years ago, that's right. 11 years ago, jessica. Our two kids, we, we have now surpassed. You're ready for this? 1200 students impacted. Over a half a million dollars close closing $500,000 given away in scholarships and programming oh my gosh, I didn't realize that.
Speaker 1:Oh my, this is like perfect. You're on today 1200 students, you have touched with the founding. That's wow.
Speaker 2:Yeah, wow, I can't believe it's 11 years AJ.
Speaker 1:Oh, I feel old.
Speaker 2:Okay, what about me? Imagine me now. Come on dog, come on Listen, oh wow. You know, senior symposiums and all those events, symposiums and all those events Shout out to Josh Diegas, who's now the mayor of Miami Lakes. That's right.
Speaker 1:One of my yeah, that's crazy is a mayor.
Speaker 2:That is insane. That's insane. I've been around a long time just starting off young until we only have a few years. I say a few years, but several years apart. But the dynamics of former students was United Mentors, academic mentoring and tutoring, the Epic Foundation, you know. Now there's other companies that I work with and have founded. So, girl, I could do this all day. There's a lot going on to say the least.
Speaker 1:I. You know what that's so awesome? It's just it's so neat to see like where you've like, where you have evolved and like where you started with me and people, just really quick. Like you mentioned, aj was my tutor in high school. I was, I think I was a junior and I was in trigonometry honors.
Speaker 1:If you know me, I was never great at math. Not that I wasn't good at math, I was terrified. It was like a phobia, and so I was always an honor student. Anyway, I always took advanced courses, but I never took advanced courses in math because I was always an honor student. Anyway, I always took advanced courses, but I never took advanced courses in math because I was terrified.
Speaker 1:But that year I had no choice. I had to take it because I had to take some other AP courses. So I was taking it and I just freaked out and I was failing and I just our teacher wasn't that great and my dad was like. I came into my parents' room crying and my dad's like oh, we'll call AJ. My mom looked at my dad. Like AJ, aj Donaldson's like yeah, we'll call AJ. And I'm like what, what does AJ have to do with me? Like failing trigonometry. And I totally didn't know, aj, that you majored in engineering and you like saved me and like half of the junior class that year and like that was like your first established business was your tutoring business.
Speaker 1:So that's literally like why AJ and I are connected, like I kind of started his whole thing no, I'm kidding, but to an extent I did and I'm so grateful because he helped me get through math and like kind of build that confidence in math, because nowadays, even what I do now, I have dealt with retail square footage dollars per square foot, financing, budget headcount, all that stuff and I always think about you because you helped me get through and have that confidence to actually like succeed and math and it's funny because what you're speaking towards, you know, some, in some context they will talk about, or some environments, arenas, they'll talk about test anxiety, you know.
Speaker 2:So, some in some contexts they'll talk about, or some environments, arenas, they'll talk about test anxiety, you know. So, talking about the, the psychoeducation aspect that we overlook, right, the fact that you were terrified when you use the word terrified, right, that is, that is an intentional word that she used. There there was literally terror. And where did that come from?
Speaker 2:You know, being a high achieving student, as it was always doing well in school, but there was this one subject and a lot of times, this is a big part of our platform, united Mentors, where we talk about mentoring, works over tutoring, over teaching, over schooling, because school is not enough. The reason why it is so important that we actually speak into that is because there's a lot of different uh, let's call them employees that are in this system. Right, called the quote, unquote education department, which we need to kind of reframe that and call it a school system, because there's a difference between schooling and education, right, right, huge difference between schooling and education. Um, and so within that, we had to address that. You know, we had to put the math aside for a moment, like hold on, forget the trig book for a moment. Who hurts you?
Speaker 1:I know right who kills your confidence.
Speaker 2:This is not the just guy. No, in the other six subjects, what's going on? And then, if you really go back in time, it's almost like you're sitting on that leather couch. Oh, it all started when I was in fourth grade and this one teacher, mr, mr, so-and-so and like there you go and then it just matriculates. It's a snowball effect. Year after year after year after year. Then you get to a junior and feel like you are quote-unquote bad at math. And it couldn't be further from the truth.
Speaker 2:It couldn't be right, it was just a, it was a frame, it was a programming that came in from years and years and years of poor instruction right, that's true, poor instruction.
Speaker 1:You know what that's so funny just to mention all this, like thinking about, like, why, what triggered me from being terrified of math, those things. And it's so interesting just to look now that, like, if I take that mindset and move it into, like our study of Joshua, and I think about you know how he entered the promised land with all these Israelites new generation remember because the old generation died out in the wilderness and it was like that old generation had such fear of entering the promised land and you had to sit there and think about, well, why do they have all this fear? And you think about, yes, they saw Canaan, they saw giants. They're like there's no way we could enter this promised land, there's absolutely no way we should go back to Egypt. And I always read that and I'm thinking to myself how could you go back to horrible slavery in Egypt? Because you're terrified to enter the promised land after God had already parted the Red Sea? Like I still don't understand that. But it's interesting because you know what that is. That's fear, that's sin, that's allowing Satan to get in your mind, that's allowing him to make you forget what God can do.
Speaker 1:And I think it's just interesting, like mentioning the math and how that fear it prohibited me at times of moving forward in my career even. And so the same thing with Israel. It prohibited them from entering the promised land immediately and that generation died off and the offspring that generation was able to enter, but it was put 40 years to go through all that mess before they could actually enter. And they had to forget that fear, cross that Jordan River and enter. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:And the same thing it made me have to, like, get through that fear of math and all those things, because if I couldn't get over that, aj, honestly I wouldn't be able to deal with the work that I, that I do now, or the work that I did when I was in Macy's. I wouldn't be able to go there, go there, you know, and even my endeavor, like the things I'm trying to move forward and do now and take on. I wouldn't be able to do that without that confidence that was built, that knowing that, okay, I can get through math, I can get through things.
Speaker 1:And I know it sounds crazy to compare the two, but it really. It's like it comes full circle, you know.
Speaker 2:It's absolutely parallel, 100%. I mean. This is where you're developing as a young adult, right? A young, a child, from a baby to you can think about the entire context of k through 12th grade. You were a lifer. We used to call you a lifer right, you're in k all the way through 12th grade. Um, so, from baby kindergarten, five, six and all of a sudden, so you've grown up within this environment of school, right, private school is still schooling.
Speaker 2:And survivor brain is a true thing. Cortisol, endorphins, all the chemical reactions that happen in our brains and our bodies. This is a real thing. When fear comes in, a survival brain is triggered. You're going to go on survival brain and it's like a, a fight or flight, you know, flee freeze, like all these things are happening, right, and it's like, well, we're focused on math within the context of math itself. I'm still a human being dealing with it, right?
Speaker 2:So when you're talking about you, know, joshua, and when you talk about the, the 40 years, right, but this is coming. This is a generation that was raised in bondage. They need nothing else, right? We're not necessarily talking about the generation before them and the generation before that generation. This was a generational thing, right? 400 years, right, right. So, even even within the 40 years that they're in the wilderness.
Speaker 2:When you go back, a friend of mine I got to give him a big shout out. Uh, I'm gonna call him reverend. He ain't a reverend, but that's my boy, monty Benjamin. He gave me something that was very profound, right and for me to learn this now in my forties I paid forward to the next generation says when you are given scripture, right, when you're in a church environment, any, I don't care if you're in a Bible class, when you're given a scripture, you need to understand the context. I joke with the youth. I say well, hey, everybody knows I don't care if you're saved, not saved, secular, not secular. Everybody knows john 3, 16, right, god so loved the what world?
Speaker 2:and then they just keep going yeah, and they're just so excited because they know something. They know something right, they know something right. Everybody wants to be seen, heard and understood. So because they know something, they're excited to recite it. And then I say, well, you know what? It was very interesting. That is John 3, 16. This is my math a little bit. You know, fun, fun. Did you know there's a John 3, 16. This is my math a little bit. You know, fun, fun. Did you know there's?
Speaker 1:a John 3, 15?
Speaker 2:They probably get you like yeah, but what about those, you know, 15 verses before John 3, 16? Yeah, what about the two chapters before chapter three of John? Right, it's the context. So you have to be careful, because you can almost make the Bible say whatever you want it to say. Right, absolutely. That's a scary thing. Yeah, it is the people, the humans, right, that we are codependent on, be it if it's a pastor or a teacher. We need, as an individual, to do our own study, we need to research and make sure that this information is given in the right context, not just suiting an agenda. Right, amen, amen, thank you. So then, when we're talking about the children of Israel, what about the generations before those 40 years we're always talking about? They were in the wilderness for 40 years and they didn't want to pagan, and I can't believe they needed to die. Okay, got it, but let's back up a little bit. They were programmed.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they were, they were programmed, they were a little bit Yep.
Speaker 2:Generation after generation prior to that, before they were delivered. I don't remember. I'm not a Bible scholar, so I don't know what the generations or how many years it was 100 years, 200 years, whatever. It was About 400. Right, 400 years of slavery. You know how many generations went through that? Yeah, that's a lot of slavery you know how many generations went through that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's a lot, holy cow. Now you want me to. You know, you can't teach it all. Old dog, new trick like yes, I saw the red sea, I saw the pillow smoke. And yes, for us on the outside looking in, you're like stupid. Like did you?
Speaker 1:I know it's like how can you? Yeah, yeah, I get what you're saying, but can you?
Speaker 2:imagine when jesus god, up there, looks at us doing some of the things over and over and over, expecting a different outcome.
Speaker 1:Right, yeah, you know what. You're absolutely right, I think it's. I think that's why it's so interesting.
Speaker 1:I think, like you said, we've always focused in on, like you know, the previous or like this, one portion of, like the Israelites and things like that, and think about the ones that they were born into slavery, like this is what, this is, who they were, and it's like how do you really change that?
Speaker 1:You know, and it's and it seems kind of, you know, tough at times that you know they died off in the wilderness. But sometimes you, like you said, you can't teach an old dog new tricks and you have to start over per se. And that's where that teaching old dog new tricks and you have to start over per se, and that's where that that offspring, that next generation, entering, you know, the promised land. That's the type of generation that we needed to carry on to go, you know, to go through that with Joshua, and Joshua was the only one other than Caleb from the previous generation that got to enter the promised land. So it was interesting having, when I deal, when I really think about Joshua, like the faith that he had to lead a very inexperienced group of people. They could, they didn't know how to fight.
Speaker 1:They didn't they didn't know how to do anything. I mean, it was really, if you really think about it, I'm like, oh my gosh, they lived off of manna and they were just in the wilderness for 40 years. They weren't getting their protein and you know, with the, with the arc and everything like, and they just, they just followed, they follow what Joshua told them to do circling Jericho seven times. They invaded AI, another town by. You know, it's just all the things that they did and they had no experience.
Speaker 1:And it's amazing how that old generation had to die off for the new to really succeed and move forward. And I think with this study, for me I've learned, like that old Jess, the one that was really self, a little bit self-absorbed, only looked at the worst, the fear it's like I had to that generation of myself has really needed to die off and I need that new generation, that Joshua generation, to take over that has full obedience in God, that trusts God completely, doesn't understand everything all the time, but knows that God has a plan and God has a detailed plan that he's going to fulfill. If I do my part, if I have that commitment to him, those are the things that I've just really been able to apply to my life. By studying Joshua, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2:so now, that's profound, and you said something. You know the the content. What you said just now about, uh, joshua and Canaan, I think you said who was the other one, who was?
Speaker 1:allowed Caleb.
Speaker 2:Caleb. Yep. So remember, with Moses being the elder. At the time, joshua was the youth, yeah, then, over 40 years, right, moses struck the rock. All the things you can't go into promised land. I'm going to have to take you out of here, right? But Joshua at that point was now an elder. Yeah, was underneath the mentorship right of this gentleman who did not. He didn't want to go into a pharaoh's court and deliver the israelites in the first place.
Speaker 2:He didn't want, he's like no I'm not the guy and and god is like yes, you are, be obedient, go do what I tell you to do, right? So there's, there's all of that like when we talk about fear in context. You know what kind of fear, right?
Speaker 2:we have the fear of failure. You've got the fear of rejection. You've got all these different versions of fear, right? Um, if we spoke into, for example, the fear of rejection, that's a lie, right? You, you, you apply for a job and they quote unquote reject you. You don't know what the context was. It wasn't like something's wrong with you and you're a bad person and you fail. No, it was circumstantial, right, the circumstance of the line. God didn't call you to do this particular thing, so he didn't allow the things to align for you to get that. Yes, so it's actually in your benefit, right? There's a lesson, not a loss, here, and then you can apply it and then be delivered in a beautiful way.
Speaker 1:Lesson, not a loss.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love that Different elves right Different elves.
Speaker 2:Yes, so in that, when you're not talking about this eldership being passed down and disseminated, that mentorship which you know, I'm all about mentorship. So the eldership of Joshua being right there on his hip, learning everything he learned. So it matriculated, it was passed down to Joshua to then make him a leader of leaders. So now he is allowed, as you said, right into the promised land with the next generation. But they still needed leadership. Right, you said something profound there was an old generation, there was the old generation of what raised Jess. Right? Of course, mama Rhonda can do no wrong in the world. Do you want to save?
Speaker 1:it up, my beautiful mother.
Speaker 2:Do you not edit this out right? I will not If. Rhonda McNeil. If we found out that Rhonda McNeil actually held up a bank at some point, the first question that anybody who knows her would say what did the bank do?
Speaker 1:my mom's pretty. Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 2:That's true, it's true and even the saint that she is. At the end of day, she comes from an older generation who even raised her. And then there was a generation you know your grandmother, your grandmother's mother, your grandmother's grandmother right, we really start going down. Bear with me here, sis. We start really going down in context of the generations raising other generations. There were things that died off, that had to die off with these new generations. Your mother never saw slavery, no, period. I, you, we never saw slavery. Your mama never saw slavery. You know, your mother's mother most likely didn't see slavery, right? No, racism, yes, yes, yes. Slavery, no. Now, in the context of slavery, right, how disgusting a thing that is. Who started it? If you keep going back, who are we going to point the finger at? Because the Israelites, right, who were not of a most likely of the brownish tone, maybe also enslaved by people who looked like them, right? Yeah, that's true. And when we talk about, we're descendants of Nubian princes and kings and we're queens and, yes, they had slaves.
Speaker 1:Yes, they did, yes, they did.
Speaker 2:So, instead of sticking to the generational curse that that was, we acknowledge it, we see that it happened, we say that was wrong, we don't carry it into the new generation, we leave it behind, we allow the healing to happen, right that part of you had to die off, so you can focus on what Jesus, what God, has delivered you to Right, and so that you can continue beyond the fear that was programmed into you.
Speaker 1:Right, absolutely. You know what, though? Oh God, aj, you just always just come with just knowledge. That's what I love about you, man.
Speaker 1:But you know what that's so? True, it's just and I think, like I said, like this study of Joshua just opened my eyes. It's just and I think, like I said, like this study of Joshua just opened my eyes, it's just such a. It's an interesting book that obviously talks about, you know, the promised land and every single tribe was allotted their land, you know, and God promised that they would have this allotment of land back with Abraham and he kept his promise. And I think what blew my mind with Joshua exactly was the level of detail, like, if you really go through like I think it's like Joshua, 18 to like 23,. They, he goes in, they go into detail about who gets what land, the town, the corner, the diameter of the like I have never seen.
Speaker 1:And as I read through it, I'm sitting here like, okay, this is just sharing land. Like, what does this have to do with anything? Like really like, what's the lesson here? But the more that I really looked into it, I was like, god fulfills promises. He fulfills every detail. It doesn't matter what it is, he's going to fulfill the detail. Then the deep, everything that's in the details really tells the story. It tells the you know the real truth of what he's trying to get out of it and as I kept reading it again, you mentioned like that old generation had to die off, that old generation would not have succeeded in what that joshua generation went through they just wouldn't they would have not, it wouldn't have worked.
Speaker 1:And that's why I think us, as human beings, we have to be able to learn how to move forward, and we can't bring, sometimes, we can't bring that baggage with us. We can bring the lessons, but we can't bring the baggage. It's almost like dating. It's like you can't bring them. You had all this trust issues with your last relationship and you bring that into the new. It's not gonna work, we all know, and the only way to do that is healing.
Speaker 2:Yes, and it's healing, and it and some people just haven't done that right there, to your point it's hard when we talk about that, that generation that was circling, circling, circling there was a uh, almost like a refusal to heal. Right, they were they were carrying that burden. They were carrying that, that, that pain, and they were about to carry it into the promised land. And god's like, nah, bro, like I can't, I can't let you carry that into the promised land. Yeah, you can heal, and this is today, like this is still in reference. Today it is you can heal, or right, right, heal or or period right.
Speaker 2:So, like we said, you do the same thing over and over again, expecting a different outcome. Do the same thing over again. That's the definition of what insanity. Insanity, right. If you're not healing, if you're not looking at these lessons, seeing yourself in it, see where you fell short, not just what the person did to you. Where did I? Because I chose that person, right, I, I chose to be with that person, to spend time with that person. I chose not to leave that person earlier it okay. So what's the lesson for you versus I can't believe that person did that to me and we're stuck yeah, it's a person, or even like a situation, like you put yourself in that situation.
Speaker 1:You chose to go here, like why did you do that? You know, um, it could really that could just be any type of scenario for for real. So you have to look yourself.
Speaker 2:You have to look to yourself, you have to really look to yourself and you have that generation. You chose not to.
Speaker 1:You're going to circle and circle and circle until the end period, yeah, until you end that self denial of realizing that you got to heal, you got to move forward, you got to let God take care of it. You can't keep harping on what was. You know, you gotta harp, you gotta focus on what it's going to be. You know, and I think that's where I just feel like, again, this book has just pushed me into the possibilities like what can happen. And you know, and I think that's where I just really love Joshua so much. And I just want to ask you a real quick question, aj, like when I look at, when I look at you, you touch about leadership. You've touched about, you know, courage and things like that. What does courage look like for you in your walk with Christ today?
Speaker 2:Oh, wow. So that's a great question. Thank you, first and foremost, how would I define courage? Number one, the biggest thing for me, and not to go to Webster's dictionary and all those things what always stands out for me? And the same thing I tell my son and any young person who's in my purview. I always tell them that courage is not the absence of fear, it's not the absence of fear 's quite the opposite.
Speaker 2:Right, courage is the fact that you're willing to make a decision, you're willing to move forward despite the presence of fear. Right, the fear is there, it is real. You're human. Sorry, right, sorry, but you are, but it's, it's in the fear. Me still choosing to forward, me still choosing to take an action despite my fear, despite the fear that is present To me. That's courage. Right, that is how I find courage.
Speaker 1:That's also faith.
Speaker 2:Hello, right, that's also faith. So that courage and that faith parallel goes right back into our walk, right? So how does courage come up? For me it's like, well, every day being in a surrender posture ain't easy, right. Fear will come up, that full surrender to your higher self, your higher power, you're right, to your, to the divinity, to the holy Holy Trinity, in that, despite all of our shortcomings, all of our sin and all the things you want nobody to know about I don't know why nobody knows what's in my closet and the things I do behind scenes, no, but in David, the Bible says the Word says God sees all of it. It's all sin, it's all outside of my will. For you, so, despite if it's like, hey, you watch something you wasn't supposed to watch or you murder somebody and people are like what, how can that?
Speaker 1:again you can't lean on your own understanding as a human right.
Speaker 2:It's hard for you to understand how in God's didn't say Jesus, but in God's court, right, it's all the same. You're not in my will. You're not in my will.
Speaker 2:It separates you from me, period, right, no matter what it is, it separates you from me, which is why I had to send Jesus Right To live amongst you for 33 years. Right, all God incarnated, here in this place to live a perfect life. Now, wait a minute, pause for a minute. Oh, we don't get risque for a minute. Ooh, we're going to get risque.
Speaker 2:I don't know if you want to keep this in the podcast, because when you start talking about a perfect life, he led the perfect human life. He led the perfect human life. But humanity is imperfection, right, it's imperfect. So what does the Bible, what does the church say? And, mind you, there'll be a lot of justifications and context and perspectives, and perspectives and projections and all the different things.
Speaker 2:But what is the context of Jesus getting upset in the square, flipping tables? Oh, we don't want to talk about that, do we? We want to make sure we kind of skip over that chapter, skip over that context. But hold on, he was showing humanity, he was frustrated, he was righteous, he was justified. Just like if a parent decides to discipline their child, right, we are his children, right. So, giving us that discipline, I want to make sure I give that in context. Giving us that discipline. I want to make sure I give that in context. Giving us that discipline was hard. It was not. It was not a soft right, uh, no, my guy had to flip tables like he had to show you what's up. Daddy stepped up.
Speaker 2:You know, my mama was like just wait till your daddy get home yeah, all right everybody you meet, even a grown man right now, is like, even if you didn't have a daddy, even then you hear, you feel it, you like it's, it's genetically programmed into us that that, that that role that a father plays, that a father plays in this world right now, that a lot of times is absent right it's absent.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the generation of fatherlessness, because and I don't mean just hey, he didn't do what he was supposed to do when it comes to fathering his offspring. But even if he's present, he may be working two, three jobs yeah, that's, that's our generation right now yeah, right, right, there's so much in that, right, there's so much in that.
Speaker 2:but ultimately we got to understand we are imperfect, we are human and we aspire to be christ-like. So I I want to digress, but ultimately, my the courage I've now reached is, despite all my shortcomings, because people who know me from college last year girl, like what you mean, like I am wide, open, transparent you know they were like, well, he was, he was out with me doing dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah. Okay, yes, absolutely, I am a sinner.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm like and we all are. I am a sinner, yeah, I'm like, and we all are. Hey, I know. And you know what, though I think that's so important to mention? Cause I think you know, we know how this the world kind of depicts Christians, and you know people have. You know God and you know Jesus, jesus followers, unfortunately, yes.
Speaker 1:A lot of the people in the church and followers have not done the best job of acknowledging that they're not perfect either. And one thing I've really learned is one thing that's frustrated me, probably in the last year or so, is the amount of judgment that we are seeing. Is the amount of judgment that we are seeing. And so when I look at the church, for example, I just feel like the church is supposed to. You know ministry, you're supposed to. You know missionaries, you're supposed to go out into the community, you're supposed to bring people in, you're supposed to. You know that type of thing. And I just feel like not all churches, of course, like my church, I go to love them, but there's a lot of churches, in my opinion, that they have become lazy and we I know I'm going to say it and I know it's not the best thing ever, but I think at some point we had some churches have become lazy and the point of not putting in the effort to bring people in versus just condemning, versus just making somebody feel alienated and not welcomed how are we supposed to share how amazing Jesus Christ is if we, as Christians, don't put the effort that we're supposed to? And so, again, if you go back into Joshua, joshua's farewell address in, like chapter 23, it talked about protect this house, you know, don't? You know? Protect this house. We've worked so hard to get this land. Keep God first. Cling to him, you know, and clinging to him means, you know, maintaining that relationship with him and then also bringing other people into his arms as well. Like that's what that is.
Speaker 1:It's about showcasing how amazing God has been for me, for example, and I want people to understand that and understand that they can have that too. And then understand too that I'm not perfect, like I'm not here telling you I'm perfect, I'm not, and I just think as Christians some Christians we need to do a better job of acknowledging the sin that we've done and how we have worked to get better work, to heal, work, to move forward. We cannot sit here and be lazy and just criticize, and that's why, you know, there's people that don't even want to come to church. There's people that have turned away from God because of the actions of some people that said they're all for God.
Speaker 1:We, we gotta I think people gotta, like we gotta read more than just, you know, john 3, 16. We gotta do a little bit more to. You know we gotta do our part as Christians. We gotta do better. And so that's why, like, this study was so important to me, because I've just so many people I've connected with they've never even touched the stuff like the book of Joshua. They've never touched it. It's usually like you know the gospels and you know Genesis and but no one really has dug into that I've heard of for me, like Joshua, you know what I mean. So that's why I wanted to try something different, push a boundary a bit, and I know today I pushed that boundary talking about sometimes the church is lazy, but you know what I
Speaker 1:think they are because you got to go out and minister. You have to do your part. You cannot just condemn and say okay, we just want the right people. The worst person should be going to church and you are supposed to witness and let them see how great God can be for them. You're supposed to plant the seed and move on. You're not supposed to condemn and be all over them and like. That's something I've learned, too is I want to plant a seed. However, I do it subtly. What fourth? And I move on. I'm not going to sit here and berate you because you haven't been to church ever. I'm not going to do here and berate you because you haven't been to church. I'm not going to do that. How am I going to get somebody to come to church if I'm doing that?
Speaker 2:Isn't that what he said? Ye, with no faith, be ye, whatever the word was. With no faith, cast the first stone, go ahead, you good too, you perfect too. What?
Speaker 1:was you doing with?
Speaker 2:her the other day. Come on, I love that conviction because he's like you said, is not allowing yourself to be put on a pedestal, right, right, so, if I use the word complacent, right, because it's easier just to condemn right and cast out versus to maintain a sanctuary Right, a sanctimonious place where people can come and retreat. Right by definition, the sanctuary right Right, wartime warfare, spiritual warfare. I'm out there in the world and I'm going to come to sanctuary, to a place of peace, to worship my God and then go back out to the world. I heal, heal, recover all the things and then I got to go back and chop some heads off to get into the promised land. That's the reality, right? Yeah, reality, the words that present yourself as a living sacrifice Hmm, what does that look like? That means that's not covering your flaws and pretending like they're not there. It's being transparent, but it takes a certain level of vulnerability that we're not willing to take on.
Speaker 2:Right and I had somebody I won't name his name, but I had somebody say something to me the other day. That not something the other day, but it was a while ago, uh, and he was sitting in a pastoral role. We went to a marlins game I'll never forget it like I was trying to get to know. The guy took him to a marlins game. It was me. You know another alumni, uh, brandon was with me at the time, right and we're there, we're. You know another alumni, brandon, was with me at a time, right and we're there, we're. You know schmoozing and building relationship and all things. And of course, the service cart goes by and they're serving alcohol, you know.
Speaker 1:Beers, you know whatever, it was right.
Speaker 2:Hey, want one, right. And you know me, right, pushing the boundaries a little bit, I kind of wanted to see what he was going to say right, you want one, right, pushing the boundaries a little bit, I kind of wanted to see what he was going to say right, you want one? He's like no, you know, I appreciate it. So the person moved on right and so he then elaborated. He was like no, no, no, I'm not saying I don't partake, what I'm saying is in this environment right now, it's not the right environment for me, because you have a lot of people out there who will see a pastor drinking and they're out, right, they're going to be on the phone oh, I told you Pastor's a drunk, and then it becomes this whole thing and now you've now ruined some people's faith walk.
Speaker 2:So the fact that he took on that responsibility to say you know what In this kind of environment Because if he would have said, no, I don't drink, and yet he does, he's lying yeah right, he's right. Liar right, he didn't like I ain't gonna lie like no man.
Speaker 2:Like I like a good beer once while, but right, I don't get drunk like that. And again, especially not in public. And all those different things like no, that's not the environment for me in my role as a pastor or minister, someone who's trying to help people to come to christ. I know people will judge and then ruin their faith walk and I was like, okay, I kind of like.
Speaker 2:I kind of like that I get where you're coming from. I see where you're coming from. I choose jessica. You and I, though we do have our own versions of ministry. Epic is a ministry for me, right. This podcast is a ministry, right. God is speaking through you and you're serving, supporting others, and I'm proud of you for doing that right. It's a beautiful thing. These are ministries.
Speaker 1:Yet you and I ain't walking around with no title called pastor. No, don't want it, don't want it, don't want it.
Speaker 2:Don't want it.
Speaker 1:That's my dad. You know, my dad was a pastor for 20 years, so my dad just my dad was very aware of his surroundings and what he was doing and you know all those type of things. Yeah, it was the same thing, because he wanted to, he didn't want to ruin someone's possible faith walk and unfortunately people were not supposed to put people on pedestals, but that's what they do and I think that society has has created that too, and I think it's just and, and, and.
Speaker 1:that's where, unfortunately, it's a hard thing to break Um and. So, since it's there, we have to work with it, and you still got to try to showcase how amazing God is, and you still have to put yourself in the best light in the best situation so that person will possibly want to have that walk with.
Speaker 2:Jesus, and then, as they get closer, then they're more mature and then you can be more transparent. Right, because there's certain level of vulnerability at every level, like, hey, we don't really know each other, so if I share with you all of my dirty laundry, you're gonna be like, oh this dude, something wrong with him until you build a rapport with me.
Speaker 2:Enough that I can trust you with my intimate secrets, right and even those inner, inner, inner circles and those people who are closest to you, like your wife or your husband, and things of that nature. Right In that, in that end of itself, when we look at these ministries, and not taking on a title, a mantle yeah, title or mantle called pastor, like being a pastor, you know we want to honor that role because someone did, someone chose, some people maybe not, shouldn't, shouldn't have, you know what I mean. Maybe they shouldn't have, but you know we honor the fact that you tried, you did a good effort.
Speaker 1:With, that said you said something.
Speaker 2:Unfortunately, society your words were unfortunately society has kind of caused that to be right. Where does that come from, jessica? Generations before us?
Speaker 1:Yeah generations before us.
Speaker 2:Yeah, to your point earlier, even though you know we ain't that old. But to a 20-some-year-old we old right we old. What's happening? Because you notice there's nothing new under the sun, like the word says. What's happening is this generation that follows us right now. They're over that, right. So the point that you said earlier brilliantly, that has to die, so that that is having to die. So what society caused is now dying off. And now you have a generation now saying, no man, you ain't gonna reach me unless you're real.
Speaker 2:Yeah, right they've got a sense there's another title that I give it, but I ain't gonna cuss in your podcast, but they've got a great uh meter right? Yeah, give my point. Yep, it's an instinct. God has divinely given this generation an instinct they can pick up, even they may not be mature enough, they may not be intellectual enough, it doesn't matter. There's an instinct generation genetically infused in this, this new generation. If they don't feel you, they're out yeah, that's, and yeah absolutely and that's like you know.
Speaker 1:That's why you know the way social media has been and why people took to tiktok because tiktok comes off a little bit more real than like instagram, for example. And yeah, people want realness, they want you to, they want you to walk the walk and talk the talk like they want to see it. And I think it it's a little. It's it's more challenging now, um, to to possibly witness to somebody, but we are still supposed to do it, we're still supposed to plant that seed, but we have to be held accountable as of you know how we come across and and all those type of things. And obviously a pastor is at another level, um, and I think, if I could jump right there what you just said, and all those type of things, and obviously a pastor is at another level and I think, yeah, If I could jump right there with what you just said like it's hard to minister to people now when you said that, right, and then even when you talk about not taking on the mantle of a pastor.
Speaker 2:The reason why it's hard for a lot of people in this generation now is because there's a lot of trauma, both generationally and even presently. Right. There will be certain churches I won't say the entire, I don't want to generalize. Yeah, not all. There have been experiences that people have had that has traumatized them around church, right Bottom line. So you're walking around a lot of open wounds scarred by the church. So when you come off churchy it is literally triggering trauma. Yeah, because of psychology and that's so trauma.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's the psychology of you, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's so sad, yeah it's triggering trauma, and what's going to happen is they're going to fight, meaning they're going to argue with you. They're going to, you know, fight flight. They're going to flee. They may even. There's two more that I learned in all the context of development over the years and years and years especially the last two, three years Fight and years, especially the last two, three years fight flight is all you hear, right?
Speaker 2:Fight or flight response Fight or flight. Response you can Deletion. A business coach taught me this. Deletion, distortion and dilution of our information that happens in religion all the time, right. So fight and flight are only two. There's four and I'm sure there's more, but the four that I've even been introduced to two more.
Speaker 1:There's fight yeah okay yeah, you see my face.
Speaker 2:I'm like I don't know what those are would you allow me to educate you a little bit, if I may right? Yeah, go for it forever, forever tutoring you look at that forever tutoring me.
Speaker 1:That's why. That's why I wanted you on the podcast.
Speaker 2:You always teach me something aj I appreciate it, and the minute I'm getting this information, I'm just disseminating because I'm like I didn't know this, oh my god, and I it. And then I'm like I need to tell everybody I could tell. So, fight or flight? Yes, absolutely, those are two of the most prevalent trauma responses. Fight or flight I'm going to argue with you. You're wrong. Right, happens all the time, especially when you're trying to minister to somebody or I'm leaving Like, oh man, get that, get that away from me, bro, I don't want none of that. And you're out, right. What we overlook is the freeze Frozen, stuck. They're not doing anything, but you're not reaching them either. It's like stagnant, you're just there, they're just like ain't nothing getting in, nothing is getting through, and then they have the fawn. That was a very interesting one.
Speaker 2:F-A-W-N Fawn. If you look it up, it's basically people pleasing yeah.
Speaker 1:Can you?
Speaker 2:imagine, one of our trauma responses is people pleasing.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Whatever you need like, okay, I'm going to do whatever you tell me to do. All those things, yeah, because you just want to be liked? Yep, but it's not actually reaching the person. What I mean? Jesus was the example, right. What reaches people? Love and service. Yeah, that's true. Love and service of others. This man, he is the king of kings, the Lord of Lords. This dude was washing feet.
Speaker 2:Yeah, compassion, come on right, Love all like you said, say compassion, all the fruits of all the things that fall under love, just like fear. Right, these are opposing forces. Right, love, unadulterated agape. Right, unconditional love with boundaries we want to make sure I have our boundaries especially but unconditional love, right in service of others. He didn't walk around being like I'm the christ, get in line. Or else, right, yeah, wasn't bible beating people? Right, he was like hey, I'm here, I'm in service, and people are like well, who are you? Well, I'm glad you asked, right, but he was helping people out, he was serving and supporting right, and in those ways, this is what we are supposed to be personifying when we say christ-like, ie, christian, yeah, and that's what this new generation needs to do that Joshua generation.
Speaker 1:And it's so interesting that you mentioned Jesus like that, because I think Jesus obviously amazing. You know the epitome of the person in the Bible, we know this. You know the epitome of the person in the Bible, we know this. But I always, like my mom and I, always talked about like three other three other people in the Bible that just always got to us and touched us was Joseph. We all know Joseph and you know all the things he went through and obviously became second in command of Egypt. We all don't know that.
Speaker 1:Um and David. You know David is just such a character. I think it's. He's such an amazing person because he literally flaws and all. I mean a man after God's own heart and the dude made so many mistakes and it's all through scripture and I think that's why the house of David that's showing Amazon people are raving about it because I'm hope they're saying that it's very accurate. So I'm happy about that. I'm really hoping that they really showcase the good and the ugly of David, because it's just he's another one.
Speaker 1:And I think the last character, the last character, just person in the Bible that has just touched me as of leadership service is Joshua, because the, the, the, the level of just, he just did whatever God told him to do and he followed God to a T and he just, he would. Like you said he was mentored by Moses and you know Moses had his issues as well and all those things, but the person that he molded to lead his people is just, it's just outstanding. I just, I just look at Joshua and I'm just like what faith, you know, think about it. Him and Caleb against the other 10 spies and every they were about to get stoned. If you really read in scripture, caleb and Joshua about to get stoned because they were the only two spies that said no, we can take it, we can, we can, we can take it, we can go into Canaan. And everybody else looked at him like they were, they were crazy. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:But like such faith, such boldness, and it's like to me, joshua foreshadowed what later on Jesus Christ was going to be. And it's also interesting the imagery and the analogies within the book of Joshua that really foreshadows what Jesus Christ is about when they crossed the Jordan River and it was like you're crossing over into that next life and it's just like jesus when he's raised from the dead after three days. There's a lot of things in there when I really studied it and it's amazing how that really touches jesus christ and what he did. Obviously, and it's so neat you talked about jesus, because we're entering easter, so it's like perfect timing aj you.
Speaker 1:You're just always on time, but you know, I just the last thing I wanted to finish with you is, since we're dealing with, like we're looking at that generation, we're that next generation or you know, our children are going to be that next one what is something that you would want to share with your son, that he will keep with him moving forward with faith and obedience, you know, with God and this world that we're living in right now?
Speaker 2:Well, that's a profound question.
Speaker 1:Sorry, I didn't mean to get you like that.
Speaker 2:No, I appreciate it because one, there's so much, right, there'd be so much that I've already shared with him in his, let's say, 12 years of existence, or even, you know, eight to nine years of consciousness in that response, in that frame. Um, you know, at this age right now, 12 going on, 13, right, 12 going to 13, and the size of a 15, 16 year old. You know, when I think of the age 13, I think about that age of accountability. Right, the word talks about it.
Speaker 2:You know, you have cultures like the, the jewish community, who I acknowledge and honor at a high level, and what they've done to model, like, even when you're talking about, you know, going into promised land and joshua dividing up the land and all this intimate detail for five full chapters.
Speaker 2:That was a model, that was modeling, right, that was like, literally, business structure and modeling within real estate.
Speaker 2:And I'd be surprised if some of these things aren't used to this day, right and God we trust, right, america.
Speaker 2:So you know all of that exists, this age of accountability in the Jewish community, bar mitzvahs and almost that rite of passage, like you said, that crossover, you know, over the Jordan, and all the things that are very present in the traditionalist manner, but that really carries over, because there's things that are still again, nothing new under the sun. There's still the parallels that exist, because there's still these standards, there's still these, you know, like your basic elements. This is life, like it doesn't matter how much AI or technology, you're still human beings in this world. So, when I think about that age of accountability and knowing what's right from wrong, and speaking to my son, you know this age is, you know, recognizing, acknowledging that even though he came from a mother and a father right, even though he has that DNA right, he is still his own man, right, a young man in developing. He has his own choosing and his own free will. And as I tell him every day before he goes to school, when I drop him off, is remember who you are right.
Speaker 2:And his response is and whose I I am, and that's not aj donaldson, right? That's not his mother, right? That's god first right period of the story.
Speaker 2:So when I expire, when his mom expires and he and generations after him are still here, like moses to joshua and joshua after you know, I want them to remember like you have your own, like you have your own relationship right. You have your own relationship. You develop your own relationship with all the circumstances that make you who you are. You develop that, your own relationship in fear and trembling. Your own relationship with God. Because that's all he wants. He just wants relationship with God, because that's all he wants. He just wants relationship.
Speaker 2:He wants oneness right, he wants us all to be united, and you know, and with him period, right, absolutely, oh amen.
Speaker 1:I love that. I think I'm going to be sharing that with my daughter when she gets older. Absolutely, no. You know what it's funny like asking you that question. I had to sit back and think about, like how am I going to answer that with my daughter, you know, and obviously she's very young 18 months but the same thing, it's our responsibility, like as an individual, to have a relationship with God and to, and what I learned recently, like I looked at like the Hebrew meaning of covenant or commitment, and it means to have a relationship that is connected with promises. And so it was very interesting because it was like, wow, you know, you think about all the promises God has made. You know, if you look through scripture and like, especially, like I said, mentioned earlier with Abraham and look how he fulfilled that promise to Abraham and his people were moved, you know, put into the promised land, you know. So it's just like if God can do that and God has, you know, been there for everything that we need him for how can we not have that same commitment?
Speaker 2:with him.
Speaker 1:Like we have to do that as well. Yes, being saved is the first part, but the next part is what is the covenant that you are going to have with God? What is the commitment? What are you going to promise to Him? You know, like, what is your relationship going to look like? And, like you said earlier, for me it's been this podcast, for example, for you it's probably epic and other things Like those are. Those are anchors for us in order for us to continue our relationship with God.
Speaker 1:I think everybody's relationship or their commitment is different, and that's where I also want to encourage people like find what that commitment is for you. And I think sometimes we again love our people, but sometimes we don't do a good job of like, hey, find it the way that works for you, not just this one way you know. So I think that's something I would probably relate to my daughter when she gets to that age, that we can have those conversations. But again, it's about you as a person have a relationship with God. I can't make you, I can't be a people pleaser, I can't. Just, I can't do that. I can't do things to make somebody else happy. I have to do it to make me happy and me happy with my relationship with God. So I think that's just profound. I love it so.
Speaker 2:I appreciate it. You know when you when you said that about your daughter and you know we think about the next generation and what they have to contend with. You know AI and technology and social media and everything is in our face the way society is just like rampant and um you, you want to make sure that when you are gone, you expire like the. The one thing we want is to see our kids again on the other side yeah right yeah so amen, when they're faced with those challenges, the world and their disbelief.
Speaker 2:And even when you said our people, that was very, very, very, very profound. And you said our people. We're not talking about ethnicities.
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 2:No, right no. We're talking about believers and unbelievers, and it's not versus unbelievers.
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 2:Against each other. There are evil doers in the world, absolutely. There's a difference from just being a sinner Like you are intentionally wanting to bring harm to others.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:So there's a difference there. Right, we fall short every day, right, like Romans 12 says we all fall short, right, right. So, in that of itself, to remind our kids, you are enough, but you're always going to fall short, and what you do in those moments the lessons is what's going to define you, right, right. So, when we're talking about our people, we're talking about people who fall into the faith right, and then, in that respect, we want to make sure that we're loving on all those, because for god so loved the world world right, not just the believers in the versus the unbelievers, it was the entire world.
Speaker 2:And he wants everybody to be with him one day and not separated for eternity. And that's a scary thing, right? Yeah, that that one piece, I told my son. It's like somebody challenges you. Oh well, why do you believe? It's the response almost. Why don't you? Right? At the end of the day, we know we're all going to die one day and, as as much as we may be apprehensive, fearful, uh, angry, like grief, grief, you know, the one of the first things I have to deny is anger and bargaining and all other things when we lose people. But it's the harsh reality of life. It's not easy. Life can be ugly and it can be a beautiful tapestry at the same time.
Speaker 2:Inspired by the movie the Shack. I don't get any money for this, I don't have any co-writes or productions in this, but I would say the Shack has been one of the most profound over the last probably, like I don't know, seven to ten years of my life, that when we, when I sat down and watched the shack well before I was so you know, social, emotionally intelligent, well before I knew about the emotional will and all the stuff I learned in counseling. Well before that, that movie broke me, sis. I'm talking about a football playing, muscle bound six foot 225 guy sobbing, not just tearing up in a little drip. I'm talking about like weeping, because it stepped and you said push the boundaries. That thing stepped into something that none of us would ever want to face. I don't know if you've seen this, sis, sis, if you've seen it you haven't seen it lately I recommend you see it again, especially now you have a daughter. Yeah, I need to watch that again.
Speaker 1:It's been a while.
Speaker 2:It's a completely different feel now, as you're a parent. This is something none of us would ever want. We won't even talk about it, we won't even talk about this out loud. To step into such a not just controversial but such a hard thing of life to deal with that happens all the time, happens all the time, and to be able to take the perspective, like our human perspective, versus what we believe God's perspective, divine perspective is. It is the most beautiful thing. As hard as it is and was it is, I get goosebumps. Goosebumps like it was absolutely beautifully done and helps us to understand the ebbs and flows, the harshness, you know, just like a ripping and a tearing of a mother having a child. But the beauty of childbirth, the beauty of having a daughter, the beauty of having a son right, one does not exist without the other in this life. There's no salvation without sacrifice.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely, and that is what Easter is about. Boom, he is risen, absolutely. Aj, thank you so much for being on. I really appreciate it Absolutely. No, I appreciate this. Thank you so much.
Speaker 2:It's been very fulfilling. This is, if anything, been a testimony, even to me. So I appreciate you, you know sacrificing again to do this, to have this, to provide this, and I look forward to seeing not just this episode but others, because I know there's a lot of incredible people you have in your life and I'm just honored to be episode number one with a guest, even though this is episode 50. So on the 50th, bring the third person guest. I'm looking forward to seeing who else you bring on and what this does as God speaks through, because one can put a thousand to flight, two can put 10,000. So it's not about competition, it's all about collaboration and within collaboration, as I heard a pastor say, it causes multiplication, multiplication, even exponentiality. Right, that is true impact in this world. You know, that's what I'm all about.
Speaker 1:Epic AJ, thank you so much. I love you and I appreciate you and I'm so proud of you and where and how far you've come and you're just so like you have just put in the work when it comes to driving your business, connecting with people, making a difference in the community, and I'm just so, so proud to have you in my life and you are family. We love you and we appreciate you and you have.
Speaker 1:you are making your mom very proud, oh, thank you, I appreciate you and she was an amazing woman, amazing educator, music musician, like just such a wonderful person, and she's raised an amazing son. So I just want to let you know that I appreciate that don't get me crying on this podcast.
Speaker 2:You know it's like grandma's with you and all, all the family. We, you know, ascended right. They're still with us, you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Playing chess and having fun with our lives Like ooh watch we gonna do this, Watch we gonna do this. It's so good I get to see them up there like ooh, we love them so much.
Speaker 1:I know so crazy. I love it, AJ love you.
Speaker 2:Love you too. Say hello to the family. Testing all the people man Tell them I said what's up.
Speaker 1:Absolutely Till next time. Thanks everyone, love you Well. That wraps up this week's episode. I hope these devotions help you draw closer to God each day. If this episode encouraged you, please share it with someone who might need the same message, and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss a weekly episode. Also, if you feel compelled, leaving a nice review would be so appreciated as well. For more information or to reach out, check the show notes or visit jessimorganhomecom or find me on Instagram at jessimorganlife. Remember God's timing is always perfect. Keep trusting him Until next time. This is Jessi Morgan praying off.
