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Episode 5: Roommates
51 Plays30 days ago
We’re back from our hiatus—and coming in strong with a story we definitely didn’t plan.
This episode dives into our brief but iconic era as roommates—how it happened (spoiler: not our doing), why it felt so special, and the wild way everything aligned at just the right time. We’re talking friendship, timing, and the kind of provision you only recognize once you look back.
If you’ve ever wondered where you went in the middle of being everything for everyone else… this one’s for you. Your story isn’t over—and it’s not random either.
Come hang out with us beyond the episode—follow along on Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube page for behind-the-scenes moments, extra clips, and more of the conversations you didn’t hear here. We’d love to hear your story too!
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Transcript
Roommate Memories and God's Provision
00:00:00
Speaker
Hey friends, welcome back to Twists and Turns. In this episode, we're gonna be taking you back to our short but unforgettable era as roommates.
00:00:10
Speaker
It only lasted a few months, but was full of fun and meaningful memories. So today we're going to be reminiscing, reflecting, and talking about what that season meant to us and reflecting on God's provision along the way, all through, guessed the twists and turns.
00:00:29
Speaker
So join us for the roommate episode.
Introduction to Faith and Friendship Podcast
00:00:32
Speaker
Welcome to twists and turns, confessions of lifelong BFFs, two best friends who know where the bodies are buried metaphorically.
00:00:40
Speaker
After more than 20 years of friendship, we've survived chaos, heartbreak, answered prayers, questionable choices, and plenty of twists. We're not experts, influencers, or internet debaters. Just two friends talking honestly about faith, friendship, and God's goodness through all of
00:01:01
Speaker
As always,
Prayer and Gratitude
00:01:03
Speaker
pray. Dear God, and we would just like to take a moment and remember why we're here today. The reason we are here is to share our story, not for our own benefit and to glorify our story, but to remember who you are and where You have been in our lives. We just want to thank you for this opportunity.
00:01:27
Speaker
Thank you for this friendship. Be with us as we go through this conversation, talking about the good times and the good things that you gave us. And so just be with us and we love you.
00:01:40
Speaker
And it's in your name we pray. Amen. Amen. Welcome back, everyone. First of all, oh my goodness, we had a little hiatus and we are back and better than
Return from Hiatus and Life Changes
00:01:50
Speaker
ever. Helena's got a kicking haircut. o o You got spice it up sometimes, you know, got to change it.
00:01:57
Speaker
Yes, exactly. But it was a good thing. It ended up being lots of really good conversation. And in our hiatus, we had this thought of this conversation about this time that we were
Significance of Middle Periods
00:02:09
Speaker
roommates. And why are we doing this? Why are we having this conversation? What's your why this time, Helena?
00:02:14
Speaker
Like you mentioned, it kind of the idea I don't think was part of kind of our original list. And so when you initially, I believe it was your idea of where you were kind of like, hey, like this was a time that we should probably talk about. When you said that, it was like, of course we should talk about when we live together. That but makes perfect sense. And I was like, why didn't we think about that sooner? You know, I think there could be some really good insight to this conversation because as we were kind of preparing and kind of going back and forth, I think it caused
00:02:52
Speaker
some reflection in a way of recognizing some really good things that happened that I hadn't really stopped to reflect on because it was such a busy time, yeah which obviously we'll get into why that was, but it was a busy time for both of us, kind of easy to, to, to miss.
00:03:12
Speaker
some of the sweetness that was. And I think too, it's just as we're building this story, we've talked so much about the things that we want to share. And as we've talked, what's risen to the surface for me is well, we got to tell the story first before we start sharing you know, trying to branch off and have all these other conversations.
Living Together: Gratitude and Introspection
00:03:35
Speaker
This is sort of just tying more of the story together. We've talked a little bit about what the beginning and the middle looked like. And a lot of this podcast is the middle.
00:03:45
Speaker
It's certainly some of it is now. um And some of it, you know, it started twisty and turny in the beginning as well. But a lot of it is the middle and we want to expand on the middle. And so this is an important part of the middle, even though it was such a small piece of it. But there's so much around it that I think we can introduce ourselves to y'all a little bit more. so you can get to know us a little bit better in our friendship. I also just think this is so beneficial for anyone who is entering into a roommate situation or is currently in a roommate situation or is reflecting on a time
00:04:20
Speaker
in the past maybe, and and maybe can do it with some fresh eyes, maybe with more gratitude, maybe with more introspection. Also, as we spoke, we really recognized God's faithfulness and his provision because there's so many things that had to happen just so that we couldn't have possibly planned so that we would live together. I love that piece of it. So I'm excited to share
Story of Living Together
00:04:42
Speaker
that. Let's just do it. like Let's do it. have to give a little bit of backstory though, I think, why this happened, like yeah like where we kind of were at that point. Right. And then, cause it kind of happened like really quickly.
00:04:55
Speaker
Like were happened quickly, but it didn't happen sooner in our friendship. This was not right out of high school or in college or anything. It was, it didn't happen that way. No, not quickly in the sense of timeline with our friendship, but the decision like, this is an option.
00:05:13
Speaker
what do you think? And then it was like, here I come. And why do you think that was from your perspective? Why was it so quick? Maybe that's helpful to just do the flyover, explain the timeline immediately leading up to that, like that got you to the point where you were looking for a roommate and considering me as an option. Yeah, well, i was working my first big girl job. And so I was already kind of out of the house living with another friend. I was dating this gentleman who um proposed. That was nowhere on my radar. Are you serious? I'm serious. Like i everybody's like, you seriously were not surprised. And I thought to myself,
00:05:58
Speaker
Sure. Like this is where i learned about the way my brain works a little bit. Like sure, i had this romanticized idea of being married and all the things that would happen with that. But I had never really thought like, oh, it needs to happen by this time. i like would have liked to have some sense of security and that it would eventually happen, but like not that it needed to happen at a certain time. And so the fact that it happened when it did genuinely caught me off guard. But I think had it been, you know, any longer, I probably would have maybe thought, hmm, maybe. And two, like, to be fair, like, our friend group was like, nobody was married.
00:06:41
Speaker
No, you were the trailblazer. You were the pioneer woman of of stable relationship for sure. Right. Well, so like you know what I mean? Like if you're kind of like in a ah ah tight knit group of friends and everybody's getting engaged and married, you're probably thinking like, well, what about me? So like that wasn't on my radar because we were just like a great group of friends that were having a fun time together. I would have FOMO if I didn't get to enjoy this. So all that to say, i found myself in a position where my new fiancee, was living in a different state. And I was thinking, holy smokes, I'm going to have to, you know, transfer my job, which thankfully I found was a possibility. So I was like, job check, plan a wedding, what in the world? And all the things that that entailed, that included getting out of my current lease and kind of preparing for this big life shift. I was able to do so and end my lease and then
00:07:46
Speaker
I wasn't sure where I was going to go. And that's where you entered. Yeah. If I look back on it and I think about The place that you were, you had just graduated college. well I mean, I say just, you you had been in the working world for a little while. Your now husband, then fiance, had been in the working world for a little bit longer.
Mutual Support Through Transitions
00:08:06
Speaker
And you had been dating long distance for a little while. And you had some family in town. And so it was like, you're kind of weighing this of like, do I move back in with family? What do I, do you know, can I save a little bit of money before I'm getting married? And that's what I remember. And so, but you kind of like had this beautiful opportunity. Life stage wise, I feel like we were all kind of in the same place, but you kind of had this like rare opportunity for me to kind of take advantage of. Yes.
00:08:32
Speaker
Super providentially. I didn't plan that. I had just moved home after a long-term project where I was living in New York. I was living in New York City and it was incredible. Like I was definitely living vicariously through you. Why? Oh, man, it was the best. like I live right downtown, and i got to you know my my commute to work was two train stops away, and i was having a blasty blast. And so I had just come home from that.
00:09:00
Speaker
And i didn't come home to much comparatively, I guess. you know Everyone was living their lives, and i didn't have a place to stay when I came home. I had... I had left sort of as my lease had expired previously. And so I was coming and finding a new place. What happened is our mutual friend lived in this neighborhood. She had a real cute place. And I was like, man, if I could live there, that would be awesome. So I started looking in that area. I found this place that was a one bedroom. We're going to paint the picture for you. It's a beautiful picture. um But it was old historic neighborhood where a lot of these big, beautiful homes had been converted into multi-unit And so they're, you know, they were old, but like the good kind of old, you know?
00:09:44
Speaker
yeah And so I found this one long story short. I had gone through the whole process to sign a lease and something did not sit right about that landlord. There was a question I asked or something. And the way he came back, I was like, I think this is going to be a nightmare. I don't want to do this right next door was this adorable,
00:10:03
Speaker
home, the same similar situation where it was like just way cuter, you know, in a way better situation, pretty little front porch. And, and I was like, well, let me just, let me just look and see what that one situation is. That was a two bedroom. And I think it was the same price or maybe a little less expensive, which was insane. Cause it was just a much better unit, like in in every way that the landlord had, had done a great job. in converting this previously single family home into four units. And I just had this extra bedroom. It was such a surprising thing because I thought, surely I'm not gonna able to afford the two bedroom if you know the one bedroom cost this and they were the same price and it was way better. It was just one of those couldn't have picked it better if I tried. I was um very single and um sad.
00:10:51
Speaker
ah So sad. You guys were all so gracious in that time period where I was just a wet blanket. You know, we were mid-20s at this point. I would say, you know, early to mid-20s, we're all sort of
Pre-Roommate Era Reflections
00:11:03
Speaker
starting our professional lives. But it is that friends era thing. We were we were definitely in that, the part of your life where your friends or your family place. From my perspective, you were thinking out loud about your options. And I was like, well, I know you're getting ready to plan a wedding. Your soon to be husband is that's a lot of different things to transition all at one time. i think that I have an opportunity to alleviate a little bit of stress.
00:11:32
Speaker
The room that I have that's extra is going to be there, whether you're in it or not. So why don't you come on? and I think it's an important thing to to note that we knew what the end date was going to be. And it was only a few months. Right. What was it? So you were getting married in the fall and this happened maybe when? January, February. Yeah. Cause then you moved shortly after that, right? It was only maybe four months.
00:11:59
Speaker
Maybe. Yeah. That's about right. Because I ended up moving before the wedding because my job. Right. You got a job transfer, which was amazing. They needed me to be, to start. It wasn't like, I don't know what I'm doing. hope I can, I hope it all works out. It was like, this is,
00:12:18
Speaker
a very hard end date. Things are moving in the direction of I'm out of this city. yeah So yeah so it wasn't you had a place to go it and it wasn't just that you had a place to go. It wasn't like, well, i'm getting married. So move in, you know, with my husband. It was, I know that I'm going to be getting married and moving in with my husband and I need a job. And then your current company was like, we got you girl. Like, come on up.
00:12:45
Speaker
I mean, talk about God working and showing off. I mean, honestly, it just was so seamless. If I'm being honest, like I can't even say like, oh, well, I prayed so hard and I was so worried and and God just answered that prayer. I literally was just like, you know, what would be great is if this could happen and boom. And I was like, whoa, that was, that was great. And then i was like, couldn't have done that on my own, you know? Yeah. I feel like if everybody's being honest with themselves, you can recognize like that wasn't my faithfulness. That was just God ah providing. And I need to give credit where credit's due because I'm not.
00:13:28
Speaker
He's so much more creative than we are. Oh, yeah. It's like you can you can dream it up in your mind, best case scenario. And he's like, you don't have as much perspective as I do. So you don't even know what best kind best case scenario looks like because you don't know all the variables that exist. so let me let me show you something. And he did. It was so sweet. you and you girl I got I want to talk about why it took us this long. Because we are we we spent so much time together. We talked about it in high school.
00:13:57
Speaker
We spent so much time together after that. We had our summer that we were unstoppable, that we wish people would have stopped us. you know i wonder if you know the question is, well why didn't you do this sooner? And why was it such a short period? So from your perspective, why did this not happen sooner? My laser focus...
00:14:18
Speaker
was you got to get through school. It
Lessons from Past Roommates
00:14:21
Speaker
just needs to get done. Like, so whatever is the like path of least resistance, suck it up. I lived at home while, you know, our friend group, they were, I mean, y'all were already kind of living together and having those fun times. And so I would just kind of pack my my sleepover bag.
00:14:39
Speaker
And I was just like, i felt like I was in high school again. I'm just like packing on a bag and we were just have sleepovers all the time. So I was like totally taking advantage of the fact that you guys were in that roommate phase. And I was just like, well, I'm still in school and living at home, but we have these plans. We're going to have fun. And it wasn't like you guys were like ever not inviting. Like it was like, well, just makes sense. Just like pack a bag or like, you know, just get ready at our house or come from school and just, we're going to do this thing. i was like, well, I'm going to just live at home and get through school.
00:15:16
Speaker
Financially, i was terrified. So that path of least resistance in my mind was just stay at home and get this done. i never even entertained that thought.
00:15:29
Speaker
Because it just felt so unattainable. Just the rent piece of it. Yeah. The expenses. Like I just like the whole idea of having to be financially responsible for everything. i was terrified of debt. I was trying to be as financially responsible as I could.
00:15:50
Speaker
And that meant staying at home to get through school. You ladies were all very gracious to kind of allow me to still participate. We were all doing it to each other too. It wasn't like, you know, so it was like, we all lived in kind of different parts of town. So it wasn't just you crashing at each of our places. Like we would crash at each other's places. So if we're going out in this part of town tonight, then we're staying over at this friend's house. And if we're coming to this side, then you're staying here. And you weren't the outlier in that by any means. It kind of like, I feel like it was like, what is the overall plan that we're all in on? How do we all get there dressed and cute? And like, how are we getting home? And who's home? Yes. That was it in a nutshell. you had a very different thought process that I was like, I mean, I see that, but like totally not even on my radar. That's interesting. Yes, I do. First of all, we we did go our separate ways for a little while because I was across the country and then you were in a different ah city for a little while for school and things like that. And so part of it was proximity. And then for me, once I moved home, I just knew how different we were. One, I knew how messy I was.
00:16:58
Speaker
and And how clean you are. Also, just how how different we are personality-wise. And so I thought, I really don't want our friendship to suffer for living together because it is a different thing. And so I intentionally avoided that. The consideration in my mind when I moved home, I mean, i moved home and moved back in with my parents for a few months until I got back on my feet. But my consideration for roommates, like certainly you were in my mind. And I was like, I don't want to do that. I need her as a friend.
00:17:26
Speaker
ah But that's too close ah for both of us for it to be beneficial. And so and and actually, I think, you know, part of it, when I first first moved home, I think we struggled, because you were in a like, footloose and fancy free era. And I was very much in a like, wounded need to heal, no new friends kind of place. And I think that was part of the friction too. But ah ultimately, it was, I don't want to lose her as a friend. And so i don't want to live together. I don't think that would be a good idea. You ended up introducing me to ah my first roommate when I moved home, who actually, we're going to talk about it in a little while, but we're going to get an opportunity to talk to at some point. But we we got an opportunity to talk to both of our respective roommates right before we moved in with each other. I thought this was such a good idea, Helena, that you know as we were planning this, we were like, well, it might be helpful to understand the perspective of our respective roommates, what their experience was like with us as roommates. PSA, when you ask someone like, how did you experience me?
00:18:33
Speaker
You better hope that your friends are as gracious as our friends were. But also, like it was so funny to listen to what they said about... you know it was always like so introspective. Like, well, I probably could have been a better roommate. i'm like, what are you talking about? like you know You were such a great roommate. You're such a great human. and So anyway, I'd be interested to know from your perspective as we had those conversations with our previous roommates. And we're talking like right before you and I moved in together. Yes. Like moved a little further because I had that separation from my time in new York. But for you, it was immediate. It was like from one to the other. It was such a fun exercise for everybody to just get to relive that in a way that was like we can go. And we can pick up this memory and we can revisit it now with all the context that we have and all all the experience we have and all the wisdom we have and all the grace that we've given ourselves and other people. And and now we can look at it in a different way. what were the things that stood out to you? Yes, that was so much fun. And you offered the suggestion to kind of go back and forth like via like video chat on like Marco Polo.
00:19:45
Speaker
yeah which was one hilarious to watch us kind of get acclimated with the app. Yes. ah Wait, i I can't delete. ah and what what it's like you're just looking have to deal oh Oh my gosh. Like our, if our kids like were older and could see us like,
00:20:04
Speaker
operating this, they would be like facepalm. Yeah, there it was prime like boomer era stuff for sure. It was really, those first few ah videos that we watched, like I think we all just really needed a good laugh. So that was a great way to kick it off.
00:20:20
Speaker
I think what was really interesting, i think all of us, I can't remember if you did the same because I think you might've been the one to point it out, started from the place of assuming how terrible we were.
00:20:33
Speaker
I could have been a better roommate. That's what everybody kept saying. You know, i been but I'm so sorry. and i remember I probably did this or I'm probably this, this was annoying for you to deal with. And, you know, that might have come from, you know, being a little bit older and wiser and more self-aware. So for that piece of the exercise, maybe that might've been necessary to some extent, but what was really sweet That was not at all what any of us took away in terms of like the core memories of those days living together. Yeah. like we did not think that the other was as terrible as they thought they were.
00:21:14
Speaker
Yeah. And our friend said, and this was really funny because she was like, wow, I'm deeply concerned about the level of memory that I don't have. Right. And she did a little bit of research.
00:21:27
Speaker
And one of the things she said is like, if you're not constantly revisiting those memories, Your brain kind of replaces it with just a vibe. But then if you can go back and you can start to think like, okay, what car was I driving and where was I working and those kind of things, you will start to get more memory. So don't worry. We're not all early onset Alzheimer's, I hope. But I thought that was so helpful that she was like, she sat with it and was like, I have concerns and then kind of came back with that. But not only that, but like we were just kind of building off of each other where it was like, oh my gosh, yes. And then it kind of was this domino effect. It triggered the next memory and the next thought. And it was just really fun It was just so different from where we all currently are.
00:22:19
Speaker
And the fact that we can sit together years later, not to say that we didn't have conflicts because we we did address some of those, but in a way where it was just water under the bridge and we were like, yeah, that happened. But like,
00:22:37
Speaker
man, did I love that time in our friendship and how grateful we were to just have each other. There were things that, you know, our friend that I lived with brought up and I was like, oh yeah, like we did have those conversations where she was able to just listen when I felt like I was in a place where I didn't know how to process things.
00:23:04
Speaker
What's interesting too is her feedback to herself was, I realized I could have listened more. And I was like, that's so interesting because she was a good, especially in a one-on-one setting, she has always been really empathetic and just very intentional about listening and being attuned. So it's funny to hear her criticism for herself being like, I could have asked more questions.
00:23:27
Speaker
Like, yeah, we probably all could asked more questions in our early 20s. Are you kidding me? like It's so funny though too because I think we all need to remember and maybe if anybody who's listening kind of like holds any resentment towards somebody or just kind of like has any type of vibe that they've kind of replaced, you know, some memories with. It's like it's so – it was so cathartic to kind of like – Remember, we thought that life was so hard during that time. And not to say that there were not hard things, but it was also really carefree in the sense that we were able to decide what we were going to do with our evenings and with our...
00:24:12
Speaker
Our day off was literally a day day off. Yeah. You want to sleep till three? Sleep till three. Right. Do you want to go get brunch? That was always something you know that was like kind of kicked off that brunch era. I don't know if that was like kind of a trendy thing at the time. Yeah. So what did you hear your roommate say about you and your experience? Like what were the memories that stuck out from her observation and even just from our talking about you and you as a roommate?
Addressing Insecurities and Honest Dynamics
00:24:41
Speaker
I think I was very grateful that whenever she was reflective, the things that I always felt like insecure about, she was like, no, I understand why. and she reminded me, she was like because we talked about it. And I was like, oh, i totally forgot. We probably, yeah, we did talk about it. And you did listen, you know? to you just was somebody that I felt very naturally comfortable confiding in
00:25:08
Speaker
I feel like, my insecurities around what I know were how I operated back then. Like i felt like, oh my gosh, like she probably thought I was so rude or probably wondered why i did these things. And i I felt this need to kind of like explain to not defend, but to hopefully allow her to feel like a sense of comfort. And it wasn't her, it was me. And she was like, what are you talking about?
00:25:36
Speaker
She literally said, that's roommates. Sometimes that's roommates, you know? Right. Whereas I'm like, I need to be clean because that's what a good roommate does. I need to be social. All these things that I kind of thought...
00:25:51
Speaker
I needed to be, she was not sitting there holding anything against me. which Yeah. If anything, when you pulled out the steam cleaner on the tile, I think it scared everyone half to death. In fact, I remember that. I remember hearing about that. She steam cleaned the tile and I was like, oh, Lord. It definitely was the awakening of my inner Monica.
00:26:15
Speaker
Yeah. Yes, which we're going to talk about when we talk about moving into ours. Here are the things that I took away from what she said. um Just practical stuff. Like she said, you were really in your Italian era.
00:26:26
Speaker
Yeah. Like all the Italian food, like lots of Italian food and just being on opposite schedules. You know, it's a time where you're like, you're just totally different. Like she was in a different season than you were. And so there wasn't a lot of time for one conflict to a whole lot of consistent interaction. And so there were these shorter interactions. We worked in different industries. So our schedules were very opposite. so I remember being sad about that too. I had this idea of what us living together was going to be like, and then it not happening and being like, oh, I miss my friend.
00:27:02
Speaker
Yes. So for mine, we remembered the same things and understood the same things, I think, from the same perspective. I think that she also was pretty hard on herself with some of the stuff that it was like, yeah, I don't think I think you should lay that down and not pick it up anymore. That's not a thing. But one of the things she said was the same thing as me, you know, where I was concerned about living with you because I didn't want to lose the friendship. She and I didn't know each other that well.
00:27:27
Speaker
You guys were friends while I was not living in the same place as y'all. And we both had an understanding that we had a lot going on in our lives personally in that moment. And we did not want to move in with someone who was going to take things personal if we needed a minute or if we didn't want to be social.
Resolving Conflicts and Building Friendships
00:27:43
Speaker
The divine joke of that is that we did end up becoming very, very close friends because we were going through a lot of the same things, come to find out.
00:27:53
Speaker
Yeah. and and the timing of those things... worked so beautifully because, you know, I would experience something and then she would experience it right after me. And so I could empathize and kind of understand and vice versa.
00:28:07
Speaker
There were just things that it was like, I need to say this out loud to someone and I can't say it to anybody else because nobody is going to understand this, but you're literally living it and I just need to say it. And she would just listen. And that was so sweet.
00:28:19
Speaker
And we had, ah you know, we lived in two different places together. we became such good friends through that experience. My favorite thing she said, she's blonde, bless her heart. And she, her family is all blonde. And so obviously I am not. She was so sweet, even in how she said this to me. was you know, you have this beautiful brunette hair and and I just didn't grow up with that. And she's like, I just didn't realize how much hair there was going to be everywhere. And I was like, yeah, there is a lot of hairs there. She's like, I probably have a lot of hair too, but it's blonde. And like you don't have to justify that. Yes, there was a ton of hair everywhere all the time. And I was not you know diligently vacuuming it either. And so what stuck out was we we didn't take things personally. And that allowed us to become good friends.
00:29:05
Speaker
We didn't come into it with an expectation. And so there was just grace there. When we did have conflict, it didn't go further than the conflict. And that was true on both sides. And so those were things that i appreciated her saying and and recognized that that, yeah, I feel the same way. You know, she's like, we could we were relatively around, you know, we were wearing the same clothes. And so we basically had two closets. You know, it was like, you just go into hers and she comes into mine and, you know.
00:29:33
Speaker
That felt fun. We both had cute clothes in our own right, but sometimes it just feels cuter to take somebody else's cute clothes. And so that's the place that we were at. I hope that paints a picture of the people that we were, the things that we were going through and sort of coming out of as we moved in with each other.
00:29:51
Speaker
And so now...
Cherished Roommate Memories
00:29:52
Speaker
the moment you've all been waiting for, we're going to talk about our roommate situation. Now that we've talked about our perspectives of like other people's perspectives and things like that, I'd love to hear your perspective. We'll start with a vibe and then we'll fill in the details. I mean, I think it was a feeling of excitement, just kind of knowing the reason why this was going to be a temporary place.
00:30:21
Speaker
kind of being in that mindset, like we knew how special every moment was. If there was an opportunity to go, if our schedules aligned where that was a possibility, it wasn't even like a hesitation. We just did it.
00:30:35
Speaker
I'm really grateful for that piece where it was like, yeah, every, it's like our yes was, it was like, yep, we're going to do that. Hey, this, this, yep, we're going there. yeah i do remember, and this is just like me probably overthinking what I thought a good roommate was supposed to be. It was like, leave no trace. I thought being a good roommate meant I left it better than I found it.
00:31:02
Speaker
I never stopped to consider how that would have been perceived by the other person. Like, because I feel like, you know, and it may have even been said to me and I was like, mom I'm still going to know it. But like, yeah.
00:31:19
Speaker
Because like there's a couple of reasons. One, like I feel most at peace when my surroundings are orderly. i have come to learn in many years of therapy that that I mean, I laugh, but it's true. But like also like that was my way of showing that I'm being considerate.
00:31:43
Speaker
Like I'm thinking of you and that I don't want you to come home and think, you think I want to clean up your mess? You know, like, so it was definitely a hard pendulum swing, but like at that time, I really thought I was trying, it was like,
00:32:01
Speaker
ah well, this is just what it means to be a good roommate. so You were an incredible roommate. the The level of cleanliness was always – it's gotten better as I have gotten more orderly and you know my brain is now fully developed. But at the time, for many years, it was so intimidating. But – That was kind of the benefit of the space that we were in. And, you know, I know we talked about this before, but it's, it bears repeating. So the, the day you moved in, i came home from work again, opposite schedules, different industries. And so you came, I came home from work and I opened the door.
00:32:35
Speaker
Michael Jackson is blaring. oh yeah. I smell cleaning solution. And Helena comes around the corner with her rubber gloves, dancing as she is cleaning. You know, at that point, we had known each other long enough that I was like, I don't know why I should be surprised. Like this is, you know, whatever. But you were so happy. Like it was you were joyful. It wasn't like you were walking around irritated at the state of the apartment. It was just like, I'm cleaning.
00:33:01
Speaker
And because that apartment was old historic home, like original floors from you know turn of the century, last century, even in your diligence in your cleaning, which I did clean that apartment. I was i kept it relatively orderly, but yours is on another level. It wasn't like dump by any means. No, no, Like it was, it was, everything was, you know, you didn't walk in and to clutter and stuff like my bedroom, different story maybe, but all the common areas, like yeah it was, it was fine, but there was just a level that you were never going touch, you know, cause it was just such a, there was so much life that had been lived in those spaces. You can't undo a century worth of that, you know? And so it it never bothered me in that apartment because, know,
00:33:48
Speaker
I always walked in and felt the same lived in feel, even if I could smell Clorox. like But I love that you know your thought was, I want to be a good roommate. I think that's something that someone in my family who we everyone really respects, that's one of their mantras is leave things better than you found it um and really has raised...
00:34:11
Speaker
you know, the generations before them up in that. And I think that's such an important thing, you know, and not, not for the recognition of it, but just because it's the thing to do, like just, that's the person you want to be, you know, you want eulogy attributes, not resume attributes. And that's one of those eulogy attributes is like, she left everything better than she found it. You know, the physical stuff, the emotional stuff, like, I think there's something to that, that That's just who you are. And it's funny because the cleaning part, I experienced it and was like, good but I love that that mindset. And I think we would all stand to do better in that. so you know As we were kind of going through, you know just reflecting on that time in that era, you mentioned how this was the time in your life you know you had found a different church.
00:35:04
Speaker
The church leadership took time and care to ensure that you were being led well. I literally just had this memory. It's not that I didn't recognize that you were going through that. I think it it was still a time for me where I was like, it's not that I'm disinterested in what you're doing. It's just my heart is not longing for it the same way or at the same level that your heart is longing for this something deeper. Right. And it was like, I would, I just specifically remember watching you kind of starting this, this next step and journey in your relationship with the Lord and observing it without vocalizing what I was observing.
Spiritual Journeys and Faith Growth
00:35:55
Speaker
I told you, if you remember, I it i mean, it's still true. i just feel like I remember thinking to myself at that time, You know, like we were going out, having fun and like, you know, relatively, if we weren't like getting like in trouble. yeah were just going out as friends and having fun. i just remember seeing you kind of make that shift, taking it really seriously. Thinking to myself, it was really pure and sweet to recognize like,
00:36:29
Speaker
We had seen each other do- All the things. All the things, right? It's like, you know, those those friends, siblings, it's like, you can't try to act like you are all that. yeah or You can't be self-righteous when somebody has witnessed all the things. but You know what I know. you have Ain't nobody got a high horse here, right? Watching you during that time and thinking to myself, well, if God is seeking you And you're answering that call and just kind of watching that relationship blossom and your love and desire grow. Why would that not be an option for me?
00:37:12
Speaker
I don't even know that i was I would have been able to have articulated that exact thought at that time because I was just watching it. There were a couple of things there. Like that was... That apartment was the place that I fell in love with Jesus.
00:37:27
Speaker
And it was as simple as asking for the first time, what do you say about this? Rather than trying to find ways...
00:37:39
Speaker
to make scripture support what I wanted to do. You know, it was the silliest of things. It was like just a thing that i that i thought I wanted that I knew just at a soul level was not good for me or anyone else and trying to find a way to get the Bible to support that. And finally, it it was as simple as saying,
00:38:03
Speaker
What do you say about this? And not from a, you know, before it was always, i want to be able to justify my actions. And this was the first time it was like, but what do you actually say? And it was, I i mean, not an an audible voice, but it was a, I'm so glad you asked. Yeah.
00:38:20
Speaker
When the Bible talks about streams of living water, like I experienced that. And I have visual memories of so many places in that apartment where those revelations started to happen, where I actually started to have relationship with Jesus. And it's so crazy because if you looked at the exterior of my life in that time, you know if you weren't in proximity like you were, if it were just an ordinary everyday person that's not in close relationships,
00:38:50
Speaker
I'm sure they wouldn't have noticed because it did not look, you know, on paper, the way that the transformation was happening in my heart. And so it's sweet to hear you witness to that because i was experiencing it. But I also know that most people were looking at me like she needs to get her stuff together. Bless her heart. Was it like, oh, wow, she's like. going on a mission trip tomorrow, kind of like this Christianese, like I'm on fire for Jesus. And you're just like out passing out tracks. It wasn't like that.
00:39:19
Speaker
You won't ever see me doing that, by the way. so but no It was like, i think it was more like I was seeing both sides of it.
00:39:30
Speaker
You were never turned away. you were You were still trying to figure it out. It wasn't like I got it now. It was like, i i'm I'm wrestling with understanding something and trying to break a habit of the way that I've lived my life and that and how that's potentially separating me from ah a better and deeper relationship with the Lord. I was right there with you, right? Like I was right there in the trenches. We were doing it together. And I had at that point
00:40:03
Speaker
you know, found a church that I was attending to, but like just for whatever reason, I could tell like, yes, I was going, I was approaching things differently for the first time for myself, but like also recognizing like something different was kind of, and deeper was happening with you at that time.
00:40:22
Speaker
I was falling in love. And on that note, kind of in a similar way, you were starting your life with someone, whereas I was um
Lessons on Love and Partnership
00:40:31
Speaker
not. Because you were living with me, i got to see some things. I mean, that ministered to me so much, which same thing. It's like,
00:40:40
Speaker
Certainly there are things in the in your courtship that both of you would love to go back and do differently. And it doesn't matter. like God still used it. Because in those moments, you know as I was wrestling with how can I fit a square peg into a round hole, as it were, How can I make this? How can I will this into being, you know, something that I, that I think I really want that I don't actually really want. I was getting a contrast every time I could interact with y'all. I was seeing like, this is what commitment looks like.
00:41:13
Speaker
This is what it looks like to commit your life to another person, not in perfection. it does cost something. And both parties have decided that that cost is you know negligible in comparison to what's gained.
00:41:28
Speaker
And I got to see that very practically lived out as you both were building your life together. So in those moments, you know, even though there's probably things that the two of you look back on and you're like, that was, you know, regrettable.
00:41:44
Speaker
Even in those moments, the ways that that ministered to me was to remind the deepest parts of me that like, one, there's no other person that can fulfill your deepest desires. That's Jesus. And he was doing it for me. in that moment. And two, when you do find your person, it's not going to be so hard. like Nobody's going to be making it so stinking hard. you know You'll both do what you need to do to be together and prioritize that. There was so much going on in my mind and in my heart in that era. And it's just the fact that God just...
00:42:24
Speaker
put you and your husband right there in those moments. And by the way, like we've talked about this a little bit, like i was not his biggest fan, especially, you know, initially, but, yeah but that apartment, when we were roommates, that is the place where he became my brother.
00:42:40
Speaker
Like there was, i mean, and I shared this, like there was a specific memory where ah he had gotten there before you had. I, you know, just happened to walk in and we're sitting in the living room and I was kind of wondering out loud about how can I be rebellious and, and it not come back to haunt me essentially. His response was,
00:42:59
Speaker
a brother. you know he He was my brother and he was just he wasn't um unkind. He wasn't um pious. He was gracious in it, but he was direct.
00:43:12
Speaker
And really from a like, you know he's like, here's what I heard you say. And here's what I know. Those months leading up to your wedding where I got to experience him in that way, For me as your best friend, you know having historically not necessarily been totally on board or not not fully understanding, you know like I don't really understand what's going on here and why you guys, whatever.
00:43:35
Speaker
For me to to be able to experience those things of seeing you two together and then even just seeing the way that he approached me, recognizing how important of a relationship we have. On your wedding day, it was like the most joyful sending thing because of getting to experience him in that way. And it's just another another gift we got in those moments that we wouldn't have gotten, you know, if we hadn't lived together.
00:43:59
Speaker
Just really sweet opportunities there too. Yeah. I think we're remiss if we don't paint this picture for the neighborhood, what the day-to-day looked like. And we've kind of alluded to it, but I just, I feel like we need to paint a picture. Yes.
00:44:14
Speaker
Actual landscape. Yes. Like you got to know what we were living in. and I've said before, like just sunshiny. But what did that mean to you? What are the things that you carry with you about that place that that was just so lovely? The trees were very, they just were like these little natural canopies. You know, it's a charming little spot.
00:44:37
Speaker
i was seeing parts of of a town that I grew up in from such a different lens yeah during that time. Because i was walking the the street to go places. And I had never walked to to get around that part of town.
00:44:56
Speaker
got to to see things from like a physical different perspective. you know I also had some engagement photos taken walking distance from that house. So just walking and there being the river right by there. i was so quick.
00:45:16
Speaker
to be like, I'm out, bye, I'm like moving, i'm starting a new job, I'm starting a new life, like I'm out of this city. But I think it was a really good time and opportunity that I was able to kind of see this city that I've always known and appreciate some good parts about it before leaving and moving away too. Yes. It's a part that I keep coming back to. you know i just want i just want to be there and sit in it because it it is lovely.
Nostalgia for Charming Neighborhood
00:45:46
Speaker
I was going to say the same thing at first, the mossy old oak trees, you know old historic part of town. So these are these trees have seen some stuff.
00:45:56
Speaker
yeah And you know just the moss hanging from it, super romantic Southern you know, setting, you know, a little ah square town square that we could walk to. And there's plenty there, whether that was get our coffee or get our brunch or go have, you know, a glass of wine and some apps for dinner or go see a movie or, um you know, just go and have a nightcap. Like those were all walking distance and a very pleasant walk. It was quiet, except
00:46:26
Speaker
this actually, I appreciated this ambient noise so much at the time. Do you remember the train? There's a train that goes through there. Yes. I, and I remember kind of being like, oh man, that is going to be so terrible. And then, I mean, anybody that lives by train tracks or an airport or any kind of noise like that, like it's, it's so true. You just don't Like it doesn't disturb you the way that you think it will. No, I really, i mean, and and the train, for whatever reason, it felt like the schedule of it as it was crossing the train tracks, it felt like it was always like really early in the morning or late at night, you know like when you're trying to sleep. But at some point it just became part of the landscape and just part of my memories. And so it wasn't like, well, the train's waking me up again. It was like, hey.
00:47:11
Speaker
You know, just part of it. There it is. I didn't appreciate how much i love water, like on a cellular level, how much I love water until I moved away from it. Same. There is so much water around that area and it's peaceful. There was a very specific spot that I could walk to and I would go there and take a book and sit under this beautiful old mossy oak tree and just look out at the water and everybody's docks and their boats and just be. It's just a pure memory. It was a slow pace. I didn't feel the pressure of, which is interesting because it is you know very near downtown, which is not quiet. And you just didn't feel that way. It was just, you could just feel, i don't know, hominess of it. It was just, it just feels so homey and peaceful and lovely and timeless. You know, it was old. It's an old part of town and it is timeless. Like I i would still go back and live there.
00:48:07
Speaker
I let me, let me correct. I'm not going back and live in there, but if I had to choose to live there, that's the place I would be living. I was going to say that's honestly, it's funny you say that. Like we have said that as we're driving like into town, cause we pass it. We would have to pass downtown to get to our parents' house.
00:48:25
Speaker
Like when we would drive into town and so we would always be like, there's, there's, you know, and, and, and our wedding venue and the church, they were all right there.
00:48:36
Speaker
And so like we got to kind of pass and every time drive drive through there, we get, it's just, it all comes back up. So. Yeah. That's another sweet memory about that time is it's like you moved out then because your wedding venue was literal walking distance from my apartment. Blocks. Like, yeah.
00:48:57
Speaker
A couple, couple blocks walking distance. One, I was able to just like be there if I needed to be there once you were gone, like ah while you were, you know, engaged and, trying to finalize all that stuff long distance. But then too, like we got to get ready at my house. And I love that so much. Like, it's just, you know, it's another pure memory where it was like, this is a pretty place to get ready, my little apartment, you know? So it was cute. It made for just a fun, you know, girls morning where we were getting dressed and had hair and makeup there and just so sweet, you know? And and who would have known at the at the start of that, you know, our our other friend um had moved away at that point, I think.
00:49:35
Speaker
Yes, she had. yeah Because if I'm thinking about when your wedding was, um she had moved away. And so she's kind of the the reason that I ended up there to begin with, just because I had gone to visit her and was like, this is awesome and tried to find a place in a similar place. you know So it's like that she was gone. She wasn't there anymore. And it's all you know it was all just happenstance. It it feels random, right?
00:49:58
Speaker
But now we can look back on that and go, look what God did. yeah and and if it had been different, it would have been different and it would have been equally beautiful. But like, this was
Transformative Living Arrangements
00:50:09
Speaker
a gift. It's just one of those time capsule moments. It's like, nothing can touch this. It's just yeah lovely. and And we didn't plan it.
00:50:18
Speaker
It just happened. Yeah. Like I said, it was like one of those things because we knew it was so finite. It was like, everything was a yes. It was like, you want go? Yep. You want to go it Yep.
00:50:30
Speaker
Let's do it. Yeah. Yes. You were very good about that too because you knew you were leaving. So there were lots of, yeah, I felt like I was a little like, okay, have a crazy idea. You're like, let's do it. Yeah.
00:50:42
Speaker
I'm down. Do you feel like there was any like lessons that you learned? Like, because after that, you didn't get married for some time, but you lived without a roommate. You never had another roommate after that.
00:50:58
Speaker
No, you ruined me for all other roommates. Until my husband, obviously, who's amazing. I didn't even stop to think about that until just now. like Until we moved in with our husbands, we were each other's last roommates.
00:51:11
Speaker
Yes, but also like you just imported me to where you moved to anyway. So that's you know the rest of the story is like... I was actually laid off from my job when you were getting married, which was you know terrible, um but also like so wonderful because I had some free time. And then you know i ended up moving away.
00:51:33
Speaker
Lessons that I learned. Maybe like when you first moved in with your husband, were you like carrying any of these like habits that you were like, i have to kind of like set these things? hard and fast expectations? Or were you just like like, that's not what this is, so I'm going to treat it very differently? yeah I mean, i had a little more roommate experience and than you did. I had had some roommates um you know even before our mutual friends. So i do think the leave it better than you found it, that did leave an impact. like You mentioned you know you left the apartment and you were moving away. And the last day, like you left a hairdryer on my bed. And by the way, like the hairdryer that I was using was dying or should have – we should have put it out to pasture a long time ago. And so I was always using your hairdryer. And then your response to that was to buy me a hairdryer, which was like, you know, as a parting gift. Right.
00:52:31
Speaker
because you were taking the hairdryer that I was using. Like it was your hairdryer. But that did leave an impact on me that it was like, you didn't have to do that. Like I wasn't even, i i didn't think one thought about your gratitude. You definitely didn't have to do that. You certainly were not the reason i had a crap hairdryer. So yeah, I think just the the consideration of other people, I'm sure my husband has benefited tremendously
Impact of Generosity in Friend Group
00:52:55
Speaker
from that.
00:52:55
Speaker
I think the contrast of the way that you chose to go about the state in which you keep your place. I don't think I will ever aspire to the the level of cleanliness that you are. And i I don't think I want to because I just think that's not – I think people would be a little concerned because that's just – that doesn't really match me very well. You know, like I'm i'm not chaotic, but I'm not – what either, you know. see like me You're not crazy. Well, I, you know, I've, I've, I've, like I said, I've learned about myself and there's reasons not to just say I know the why.
00:53:36
Speaker
Well, I mean, you've said in the past too, some of it was you, you want to make your place welcoming. You don't want to leave any reason for, for you to not be able to open your doors. And so it's not just that your mind needs the order, but also like you love people well. And so you're, there's always a consideration of that in the way that you keep your home and stuff like that. But looking back on that time in particular,
00:54:02
Speaker
Knowing that God, when he provides us something extra, it's not just for us to high five ourselves and go, look at this. This is so great. I have a two bedroom apart. I had no need for that. And I didn't understand why it was happening. And then I look back and it's like, well, it wasn't it was for me, but it wasn't for me.
00:54:21
Speaker
you know, and just holding those things with an open hand as far as living situation goes. And I definitely, you know, i i think that's that has played into current situation and and, you know, decisions that my husband and I have made just with with things that we have and, you know, things that we can hold open handedly and stuff like that. So, yeah. What about you?
00:54:42
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, I think with our time together and even in the living situation before we lived together and even just observing our friend group, you know, when I was still living at home, i always wanted to be more willing to be that way, like being open-handed with things because I was coming from a place of I'm trying to get through school and I'm trying to work. And it's just, I didn't have a lot of expendable things and income, but like everybody else was just so willing to be like, oh yeah, just go in my closet or, oh yeah, like just take that. It's totally fine. And like, I would, I was just like, I want to be more like that.
00:55:28
Speaker
So I think it was something that I kind of tucked in my and memory of like, I remember witnessing those traits and and how I didn't naturally react those ways, but like seeing how that kind of dynamic was played out in a in a ah positive way and how it benefited and just was like a fun environment. Like it that makes sense, like it would just kind of like made for like just a sweet dynamic.
00:56:05
Speaker
Like it's fun to of be that person's friend who's willing to say, of course, yeah, go. Or i have, I have that. You can borrow it, you know, like that kind of thing. Yes. I'm thinking of your roommate's roommate before you. And like we were visiting one time and she was like, Emery, this last banana is here. I've already eaten a banana. um Today it's going to be good, but I think tomorrow it won't be. Do you want to eat this? And it was very like, I was like, what's happening? You know, like, and I appreciated it so much because it was like, I'm thinking of you and i don't want to waste this thing.
00:56:40
Speaker
Whereas I would have been like, that banana is going in the garbage tomorrow. Like, yeah. You know, naked little things we picked up from people about just, yeah. For sure. Well, as we think about, you know, that time for us is over. It's done. And we'll always have it as a memory that we can take out and we can share with others.
Teaching Community and Generosity to Children
00:56:59
Speaker
And now we'll have it memorialized forever, which I love so much, which means that our kids get to hear this someday, which is so crazy to me. And so I wonder, you know, as we think about our kids going into that era, not imminently, but but sooner than we probably
00:57:18
Speaker
would like to accept, like if you could fast forward your girls, like, you know, as they're graduating and, and starting to consider what their living arrangement is going to be like outside of your home from this perspective, like, what are the things, is there anything that you would want to share with them? yeah Well, I mean, I think kind of what I was just saying, like, I, hope that it is something that I'm trying to instill in them now. And I think having two girls makes it a little easier because they typically want most of the same stuff. So it's, it lends to a very natural opportunity to teach, you know, patience and just sharing a space and you know, soon they'll probably have like similar, you
00:58:15
Speaker
size and clothes and they'll want to share the clothes and like all those things. So I hope like knowing what this experience taught me, how much fun, how much more fun it could have been if I kind of like was willing to just kind of like recognize and lean into some things, like encouraging that behavior in them so that when they maybe find themselves in those dynamics, it doesn't feel like a a threatening shift or a too difficult of a pivot to say, Oh, I have to now considerate of somebody else. Like that should already be in their wheelhouse. Of course. I want to see if my roommate wants to come with me and like, that would be fun. Like those types of things where it's like, they're naturally self-aware enough to say like, am I being considerate? You know,
00:59:12
Speaker
And how can i love this person well by... being mindful. To balance that, what i look back on and recognize is like, we there just wasn't a lot that we did super intentionally, um consciously. We were certainly intentional about a lot of things that we did, but it wasn't a conscious, we certainly did not have forward thinking perspective. We wouldn't have dreamed that we would be having this conversation with this perspective. right And you know I want my kids to know, first of all,
00:59:46
Speaker
And I say this often to one of them, like, Helena is my person. She is my person. i love her dearly. and I'm going be okay if you know we don't get to talk for a minute. Just because someone is your person doesn't necessarily mean that it's the best thing for you ah to live together.
01:00:07
Speaker
you really got to evaluate what's best for both of you and be self-aware and honest. Are you going to be okay if if you don't have your person? And is your person going to be okay if you're if you're so dependent? And also just like celebrating people's differences, that that it is okay, that – um People don't do things the way that you do things. And it's okay that you don't do things the way that people do things. There's something to be learned you know on either side of that. God is so good and he is so creative and he is so gracious.
Faith in Life's Challenges
01:00:43
Speaker
And to your point, Helena, it's not always because we ask him. Right. You know, he's not bound by our prayers. He certainly wants to invite us into it so that we can see in the moment what he's doing, but he is not absent because we don't pray.
01:01:07
Speaker
Certainly, I'm not trying to discourage anyone from feeling like they, like, I think, you know, the best thing you can do is have relationship with your creator. Right. What I mean is like there are going to be twists and turns.
01:01:20
Speaker
There are going to be bumps on this journey and they won't be wasted. So wherever you find yourself, children of mine and children of Helena's, wherever you find yourself,
01:01:33
Speaker
that's You're exactly where you need to be. Hopefully and the foundation of of knowing how deeply loved you are, that the truest thing about you is that you are loved by a good and perfect creator. Hopefully you'll have the perspective in the moment of how thoughtful and careful and present God is. But even if you don't,
01:01:53
Speaker
know that you will look back and go, oh, I see. i see. And i couldn't ah I could not have drawn that up better. Even the hard parts, even the broken parts, you know like, wow, look what you did with these broken things. you know like The place that I was in when um you and I came to live together was really broken.
01:02:14
Speaker
And in some ways, actively trying to pursue more brokenness. you Just know that it's not goosebumps. Like if you turn to the wrong page, you're not, you know, God is still God.
01:02:27
Speaker
And so you may have a crap roommate. um You may be a crap roommate, you know, and at a point in your life. Just going keep it real. Yeah, it's okay. like God loves you. He loves you. And he is relentlessly pursuing you. And and there is something to be gleaned from this era in your life. um Don't miss it. But if you do miss it, know that you will have opportunity to to look back and go, oh, I see what you did there.
01:02:56
Speaker
It's such the relationship that we have with God. And i kind of feel like it's like this because it's not like a tant, like a personal, like physical, um relationship that we have with God. Like we don't sit across from him and have conversations about, you know what about this and this plan? like we do with our face to face. Yeah. Right. With our earthly parents. Like think of, like, it just made me think like, could you imagine if like, we just operated where our kids were like going through life and they're like suffering and they were like, get to a point where they recognize
01:03:35
Speaker
like what they lacked. And they're like, why didn't you give that to me? You didn't ask me. It's like, well, how like that, what a crappy parent we would be. it's like That's our job. It's like, we are a little bit older and hopefully a little bit wiser to say like, you don't know what you need, but Hey, in that next phase of life, you're going to need to get on top of this, this, and this, and I'm going to help you do it because you don't even know what's coming your way. Like, and so like, if you just stop and I think, whether it's a roommate situation that kind of fell into place, whether it's a job or, you know, your next phase of, of life and you're trying to navigate it. If you just take a moment and just reflect, or even if that's not something that you feel like, well, nothing's jumping out at me. It's like, that's a, that's a beautiful opportunity to to say like, Lord, like I want to see you show me where you have been in my life, where you're currently in my life. Like, where do you, yeah. want me to be next.
01:04:35
Speaker
I love the where were you question. That's one of my favorites. Where were you? And sometimes it's an angry where were you? And sometimes it's just like a, Hey, I don't recognize like, where were you? And he's very gracious to answer those questions. If there could be a practice kind of developed out of this conversation, sweet children, this was something that kind of we stumbled into, but like how beautiful of an intentional practice.
Upcoming Episodes and International Guest
01:05:01
Speaker
I'd say that's a good place to leave it, but we do want to tell you, you know, some of the things that are, that are coming up. We're taking this show international and we're very excited about it. Lots of conversations already. i say we're taking international for one episode. We're not moving anywhere. right So no big moves here.
01:05:18
Speaker
Yeah, we have we have a really incredible opportunity. we didn't ask for it and and it just materialized. Part of that opportunity is we get to be ah in person with our dear friend who lives internationally. We're very excited to introduce you to her. We love her so much and we know that you will love her too. I can't imagine a person meeting her and not loving her. So she was my roommate. And so she has lived in proximity to me and I'm part excited and part a little nervous about that. but You know, she doesn't have a mean bone in her body. Even when she's being mean, you're like, oh my gosh, that was the kindest mean thing you could have ever said. Also, i don't remember if we said this before, but she will be the first guest that we've had.
01:06:06
Speaker
Yes. so So hopefully a trend that we can kind of continue with. You know, it's somebody that we love and the conversation is obviously going to be easy because we know each other so well. But yeah, just something different um to kind of expect.
01:06:24
Speaker
Yeah. What's next in general? As we've talked about it, we have topics planned and we sort of move them around as the spirit leads. Honestly, you know, there's a lot of prayer that goes into that and just conversation and planning. And this one is one that came up organically, but expect that you're going to hear more storytelling. The podcast is appropriately named. These are our twists and turns. And certainly there are current twists and turns and we will get to those. But there's a whole lot more that was crazy in fun ways, some of it, you know, in hard ways, in every bit of it, beautiful ways. And we want to share those with you. So expect more twists and turns, expect more storytelling, um expect, you know, some international flair. Coming up very soon. um You can live vicariously through us. I would if I were you. We've talked about how we're we're antisocial as as far as social media goes, but we have actually started an Instagram. We'd love for you to follow us. Things that we're learning about how this whole thing works. um you know, if you think this is beneficial, there there are ways to share it beyond just telling someone. Word of mouth is the best way. It will always be the best way. I don't care what algorithm does what. So tell someone about
Engaging Listeners and Audience Feedback
01:07:31
Speaker
it. But also, if you think this is something that would benefit others, maybe people you know or maybe people you don't know, the best way to tell the magical algorithm that this should be shared with a broader audience is engagement. And so that means... leave us a review comment on, on something. Um, and, and certainly we'd love for you to follow us on Instagram. So it's, uh, our handle is twists and turns pretzel podcast.
01:07:56
Speaker
I'll find, I'll try and find something shorter, but that's what was available. And so that's what we did. So you can find us on Instagram, follow us, share us with friends and like our stuff. If you like it, if you don't tell us, you don't like it. That's fine too. Um, engagement is engagement. That's okay. We actually did get some funny feedback that you know from from a jury of our peers, which I thought was hilarious. And I was like, oh, that's what that looks like. We found the dishwasher police, apparently. We we found the actual dishwasher police.
01:08:24
Speaker
And so, yeah. If you, friend, if you are hearing this and um if me running a half-full dishwasher offends you, I promise you this ain't the channel for you because that is the mildest of things. Yeah.
01:08:37
Speaker
like Sorry. I think this episode should kind of be the ah segue into how that's like not surprising, right? It's like we we kind of like walked in and operated to the beat of our own drum. So it's like, sure, like I was very much like, this is how it needs to be. So should anybody be shocked that one of us, not to name who would run a half full load of dishes.
01:09:09
Speaker
Yeah. I'd love to say that that was the worst thing I did in my twenties and it just wasn't. And you know what? I bet if everybody was honest with themselves, they probably wouldn't want the highlight reel of their worst decisions broadcast for everyone. Let's give everybody some grace. I recognize that water conservation is important and you know what?
01:09:28
Speaker
i can't do anything about what I did in my early twenties. It's done. yeah. Yeah. Thanks for listening, I guess. But if it offends you or if you're looking for a fight, just keep it on moving.
01:09:40
Speaker
Just keep it on moving. We're not we're not here to defend our our water use in our twenty s From a decade ago, from 15 years ago. I can't do anything. we haven't as As far as I'm aware, we haven't created time travel. There's nothing I can do.
01:09:57
Speaker
God bless you. It needs water now to counteract and balance. Which I do. And now that I have a whole household, it's very easy to run a dishwasher with a full load. When I was single, little bit of a different situation. Anyway. It is true. It is
Podcast as a Love Letter to God
01:10:12
Speaker
true. We've given that enough airspace. Right.
01:10:14
Speaker
Good luck to you. I do want to say in closing that, as we always say, this podcast is our love letter to God. And so we give all glory to him and it really is our conversation to him. So if it benefits you, wonderful. But know that this is our singing our love song back to the Lord. um And so we're just recounting his faithfulness and and that's why we're here. So we're so thankful that you've joined us and we look forward to you coming along on the next Twister Turn.
01:10:45
Speaker
Bye guys.