Our 200th Special Celebration
About this Episode
Episode Summary
How long have you been listening to the God Hears Her podcast? Today, we are so excited to celebrate 200 episodes with you! Join producers Jade Gustman and Mary Jo Clark as they talk to hosts Elisa Morgan, Eryn Eddy Adkins, and Vivian Mabuni about what it’s like to work on God Hears Her and how they all came to be working on the podcast. You don’t want to miss this fun and special God Hears Her conversation!
Episode Transcript
God Hears Her Podcast
Episode GHH Our 200th Special Celebration
Elisa Morgan, Eryn Eddy Adkins, Vivian Mabuni, Jade Gustman, Mary Jo Clark,
[Music]
Eryn: You are listening to God Hears Her, a podcast for women where we explore the stunning truth that God hears you. Join our community of encouraging one another in learning to lean on God through Scripture, story, and conversation at godhearsher.org. God hears her. Seek and she will find.
Jade: Well, this is absolutely crazy. Mary Jo and I are joining you guys. We are no longer behind the camera. We are in front of the camera with you. And today’s our 200th episode of God Hears Her.
All: Yes, yay!
Jade: Insane, like we have been together for so long, and it’s just been an incredible journey. So today I am just really thankful to reflect with all of you and to just look back at our personal lives and our personal stories and how they’ve been weaved before God Hears Her, through God Hears Her. Two hundred episodes is a milestone.
Eryn: Yeah.
Jade: That’s a lot.
Vivian: It’s a milestone.
Jade: Yeah, and last night we were at dinner, and we were talking about how God Hears Her was beginning in 2018. That was the formation of it.
Elisa: Mm-hmm.
Jade: And I was graduating high school…
[laughter]
Jade: …which tells you how old I am.
Elisa: You were but a baby in the womb.
Jade: I was a little baby. I had no idea. What my future held. I did not know things like this existed, that I would be here, that we’d be producing this show. Um, and that’s where I was in 2018 when God Hears Her was starting. So I thought it would be fun if we went around and talked about where we all were in 2018. Where were you guys when God Hears Her was starting?
Eryn: Oh.
Elisa: Let me start, cause I think I was here.
Jade: Yeah.
Elisa: So I was at our Daily Bread Ministries already. I was working on Discover the Word with Bill Crowder and Mart DeHaan at that time. So quite a while when we had come into the works after Alice Mathews and Haddon Robinson. So we were playing around the idea of a podcast and got an assignment to meet a young woman in the lobby of the Drury Inn.
All: Ooh!
Eryn: Me.
Elisa: And like we met, and it was like love forever.
Jade: Yeah.
Eryn: Oh.
Elisa: We went out to dinner that night.
Jade: Yeah.
Elisa: And that’s how it started for us. Now you were in a whole different place. Oh, I’ll just say I was a grandmother. I was married to Evan. I had two children. All those other things. But that’s where I was when God Hears Her began.
Eryn: Yeah, I was single. I’d been healing from a really, really messy season of life. And I was kind of disoriented, honestly, of what God had planned for my future.
Jade: Yeah.
Eryn: Because, with divorce, it implodes a whole, whole part of your life. And so for me, I was kind of lost in some ways, but just rebuilding. I was in a season of rebuilding, and just like our mission, meeting women in the messy moments of life like that. For me, I was in a very messy…coming out of a messy moment when I got the call to come and be interviewed for part of my story with my company. And so I know. And then we met Vivian.
Elisa: Da, da, da!
Vivian: I was the second guest I think…
Elisa: Yes.
Eryn: Yeah.
Vivian: …on God Hears Her.
Jade: It was crazy.
Elisa: So we were both…
Jade: Yeah.
Elisa: …in the role.
Vivian: Right, yes.
Elisa: We were co-hosting then, and you were a guest.
Vivian: And I was a guest on Discover the Word. And you all said, “Hey, let’s…since you’re here, you might as well.” And we had our conversation. That was the first time I met you, Eryn.
Eryn: That’s right.
Vivian: So…
Elisa: But I had known you.
Vivian: Yeah, we had gone…we went way back.
Elisa: Yeah.
Eryn: That’s right.
Elisa: We did some life together in terms of women’s leadership opportunities.
Vivian: Mm-hmm.
Elisa: And we served on a board together and a couple of other things, but then being in this spot…
Vivian: Yeah.
Elisa: …has been wonderful.
Vivian: Yeah.
Jade: Yeah.
Eryn: What about you? Where…what season of life were you in?
Elisa: Personally.
Eryn: Yeah.
Vivian: Woo! It’s hard to go all the way back. Uh…
Jade: It’s a long time.
Vivian: I was writing my second book at the time. So, I think I was in book-writing mode. I had been speaking at events. I was kind of on that trajectory. I had not returned to seminary at that point, but at that time it was really, uh, the beginnings of a new journey, a little bit of ministry. Um, yeah. So it’s so fascinating how everything weaves together.
Eryn: Yeah.
Vivian: What about you, Mary Jo? Where were you five years ago?
Mary Jo: Dramatically different place.
Elisa: COVID.
Mary Jo: I was just starting here after, uh, our Daily Bread Ministries in the contact center, after beautiful seasons of working in bakeries and retail and food service um, which I loved for a season, but was completely burnt out. And I needed…I needed to re-find peace. And I started in the contact center here. Started transcribing Elisa’s voice on Discover the Word. Um…
Elisa: I haunt her still.
Mary Jo:…in 2018…2018 yeah. Still with her. Um…
[laughter}
Mary Jo: …and I was also single. Um, my…
Eryn: You were?
Mary Jo: …yeah, single. I was single. I was just…I just started dating my now husband in 2018.
Vivian: Wow.
Mary Jo: Like October. So such a different life.
Vivian: Wow.
Mary Jo: No babies. No husband, uh.
Vivian: Plural, babies.
Mary Jo: Just new job. Beautiful season of my life. Um, oh, also to…to, um, age myself, I was 29. And so it was still like starting a new journey with leaving the twenties and going into the thirties, which was a…
Eryn: Yeah.
Mary Jo: …pretty different stage of life too.
Vivian: Yeah.
Mary Jo: So…
Eryn: And will you share what you do and like for…
Mary Jo: Yeah.
Eryn: …anybody listening?
Mary Jo: Yeah.
Eryn: Because y’all are behind the camera.
Jade: Yeah. Right, right.
Mary Jo: Yes.
Eryn: Behind the microphone.
Jade: They belong.
Eryn: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Mary Jo: Where I’m most comfortable.
Elisa: Or here what you do.
Mary Jo: Yeah, well, and I did start in the contact center, which is a beautiful place to work. And then in 2020 the…the world shut down, and I was doing contact center work from home.
Vivian: Wow.
Mary Jo: And then there was an opening on this brand new podcast department, and I applied. My major in college was film and audio. So I was excited to maybe…
Elisa: Hello.
Mary Jo: …get a shot doing something like that again.
All: Yeah.
Mary Jo: Um, so yeah, eight and a half years after graduating college, I jumped back into doing audio for podcasting. And I was the lead producer at the time of God Hears Her and Where Ya From? And then after a, a few years of…of that, I am now the podcast team lead. So I get to work with Jade, lead producer of God Hears Her. And then, uh, our co-producer, Ryan Clevenger as well.
Eryn: Yay.
Mary Jo: They’re on my team.
Eryn: Who’s currently doing the sound right now.
Elisa: Thank you, Ryan Clevenger.
Jade: Yeah, is currently doing audio. Thank you.
[laughter]
Eryn: We’re grateful.
Ryan: Thank you. Ryan.
Eryn: What about you, Jade?
Jade: Yeah, and my story is so crazy with how I ended up here at…Mary Jo and I love this story. Um, but I actually went to college to go into, um, English and writing. Because I wanted to work in book publishing. And I had this image in my head of living in New York City, working for a big publishing company, and editing novels. So I actually had a friend my junior year of college who met someone from our Daily Bread Ministries. And she was like, Jade, I think you should apply for their internship, their book editing, publishing, internship. And which seemed like the perfect fit. So I interviewed for it…didn’t get the job.
[laughter]
Jade: But I was second. They were like, you were second choice.
Eryn: Oh.
Jade: And we’d love for you to apply for this other internship, which would be with our social media chapter Reclaim Today. Um, and I thought, okay, cool, I’ll apply for that. Applied for that. Didn’t get it. But I was runner up, the second best, whatever. And um, they were like, okay, we have one more, one more for you. And it’s a podcast internship. We’d love to have you at ODBM, apply for it, all these things. And I was like, Lord. I don’t listen to podcasts. I don’t like podcasting. I don’t know anything about that. Like how is that what I’m supposed to go into? And I just felt this nudge from the Holy Spirit of like, just interview, just see how it goes. Just interview. And so I interview, and I meet this incredible woman, Mary Jo Clark. And I’m like, who is this woman? Like she is incredible. And in my interview she tells me like, I know that, um, you’re interested in going into book editing and publishing. This isn’t what you wanted. This could be just an opening for you. Like this doesn’t have to be where you stay. And I just thought, how cool. Like someone that is authentic and real…
Elisa: Yes.
Jade: …in an interview and it just…
Vivian: Right.
Jade: …put me so at ease. Um, and then of course I started and just absolutely fell in love with working for God Hears Her, working on this podcast. And Mary Jo was secretly pregnant when I was an intern.
Elisa: Secretly.
Jade: Secretly pregnant. I had no idea. And so I was about to leave, which was heartbreaking. We were all pretty upset. And I got contracted.
Eryn: I remember that. I remember…
Jade: Yeah.
Eryn: …we were like, we hope you come back.
Jade: Yeah.
Elisa: Cause the internship was finished.
Jade: Yeah, the internship had ended. I remember being in the parking lot, like crying my eyes out. And Mary Jo had said something to me like, if it’s not good, then it’s not the end. Or what did you say?
Mary Jo: Let me, let me try.
Jade: Yeah, it’s movie quote.
Mary Jo: Hold on, yeah.
Jade: I’m trying to think of…
Mary Jo: Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, anybody? No?
Elisa: If it’s not good, it’s not done.
Mary Jo: It um, everything will turn out in the end. If it hasn’t turned out, then it’s not the end.
Elisa: Okay, okay.
Eryn: Oh, I love that
Mary Jo: Yeah.
Vivian: Oh.
Elisa: Exotic Marigold Hotel.
Jade: Yeah, but I couldn’t imagine leaving. Like I just loved being here so much. And so then, um, I was contracted for a bit, and when I graduated college, I was hired full time. And now here I am…
Vivian: That’s amazing.
Elisa: I have a question
Jade: …lead podcast producer, please ask it.
Eryn: I love it.
Elisa: Do you like podcasts now?
Jade: I, let me be honest.
Elisa: Yeah.
Jade: Let me be authentic and real. I don’t listen to podcasts, unless it’s for research. But…
[crosstalk]
Vivian: But you know what I think is so cool about…
Eryn: But you do a lot though, with research.
Vivian: …what your…your background and your interest in publishing and in books and in editing…
Jade: Yeah, yeah.
Vivian: …you’re actually utilizing all of that.
Elisa: Yeah.
Vivian: Because you’re having to screen all of our guests…
Elisa: Content.
Vivian: …and read their books and…
Jade: Right.
Vivian: …to…
Elisa: Research.
Vivian: …kind of research.
Jade: Yeah.
Vivian: It’s researching our guests. It…
Jade: Yeah, yeah.
Vivian: …really is. I mean, the fact that you have read the books is significant. There are a lot of times that, you know, people unfortunately will endorse a book having not read it.
Jade: Yeah, right.
Eryn: Yes, that’s very true.
Vivian: So I think it’s important that our guests are…are screened that way and you…
Jade: Yeah.
Vivian: …know their stories. You know where they’re coming from, and…
Eryn: Yeah.
Vivian: …you know that they would be a good fit for the God Hears Her audience.
Jade: Yeah, thank you.
Vivian: So thank you for doing that.
Eryn: Yeah.
Jade: Yeah, but in that, like talking about our guests, the people that we’ve had on; often we have people on, and we share their stories. And we dig into their testimonies and personal topics that they’re going through. But we don’t always get to update each other. Like our audience doesn’t always get to hear from you guys. Like they get snippets of it. So I’m just curious, like in working on the show for 200 episodes and even more recently, like what do your lives look like outside of God Hears Her?
Eryn: Mm-hmm.
Vivian: Okay. I’m just gonna jump in as you guys are thinking…
Jade: Please do, yeah.
Vivian: …because it’s right on the top of my head. So for the last…so really my seminary journey has been a 36-year-long journey. When I was single and joined staff with CRU, I took seminary classes. I was the only woman in one of the classes.
Jade: Which go Vivian.
Vivian: Yeah.
Eryn: Yeah.
Vivian: I intended to transfer to a seminary, two different seminaries, and then met my husband, fell in love, had three children. Then when my youngest started school full-time, I thought, okay, this is a good time to start up seminary again. So I got back in, got all the references, started taking classes, and then was diagnosed with breast cancer again. So it was like back and forth and back and forth.
Eryn: Yeah.
Vivian: Uh, and then joining the board at Denver Seminary, I just thought, why would I graduate from a different seminary when I’m invested here already? So transferred over to Denver. And all along as we’ve been recording these, in the back, I am studying, I’m hauling around this huge backpack. I’m writing papers, I’m doing all these things. But they have to me have helped enhance even what we do.
Jade: Yeah, yeah.
Vivian: Because of Bible engagement…
Jade: Yes.
Vivian: …and learning to handle accurately the Word of truth. So there’s…it’s been a really fun pairing.
Jade: Yeah.
Vivian: It’s been challenging. ’cause the times I’ve flown into Grand Rapids, most evenings, as soon as we’re done; I’m back in the hotel room watching videos, lectures on 2.0 speed, and like walking around trying to get my steps in, you know.
[crosstalk]
Vivian: So I’m in the hotel room like reading while I’m also, you know, so it’s just been so exhausting.
Eryn: So true.
Vivian: So this time I had finished my last final before flying out here.
Eryn: Yes.
Vivian: And I watched two movies on the flight over.
Elisa: And we got to hang out last night.
Vivian: And we got to hang out [inaudible].
Eryn: I know. That’s so nice.
Jade: Yeah.
Vivian: Oh my gosh. I didn’t have to…anyway. So that was what was…
[inaudible]
Vivian: …going on behind the scenes for me.
Jade: Yeah.
Elisa: That’s awesome. So glad you’re here.
Vivian: Oh, thanks.
Elisa: Hmm, hmm.
Vivian: I said yes to God Hears Her because of the cohosts.
Jade: Yes.
Eryn: Ooh.
Jade: We’re so thankful.
Vivian: I didn’t even know the goodness that was behind.
Eryn: Yes.
Elisa: Behind it.
Vivian: Behind it all. But yeah.
Jade: Yeah, you had to get to know this part, yeah.
Vivian: And it’s been equally as wonderful. But I did say yes because of these two.
Jade: Yeah, yeah.
Eryn: What about you? Where do…
Elisa: Okay, me, me. Um. So I came to our Daily Bread Ministries after retiring from a 20-year jaunt as the CEO of MOPS International, which is now the MomCo. And I didn’t know what I was to do next. But the theme was, release this organization to the next generation of leaders. But I was still kind of-ish young and I thought, Well, you know, Lord, I don’t feel done. And so I had the opportunity to try out for Discover the Word and ended up saying yes to that opportunity. I did a lot of speaking, a lot of writing, began to write for the Our Daily Bread devotional. Began to do the daily video, began to do all these different things.
Jade: Yeah.
Elisa: And then God Hears Her. But personally, when I look at, you know, what’s happened in my life, one of the themes of my life is the beauty of broken, that…that God brings beauty out of brokenness.
Jade: Yeah.
Elisa: I come from a broken family originally. I’ve never been pregnant. My children came through adoption. And yet God chose me to be the head of an organization for mothers, which is just a huge irony. And then I became a grandmother super young, way too young and…and not at all sorry about it now. But it was a shock then to have a…a teen mom, you know, my daughter is a teen mom. And then moving forward, my husband having cancer repeat itself twice.
Jade: Yeah.
Elisa: There’ve been some surprising deaths and other tragedies in our families. Um, loss of a grandchild, all of these things still God inviting me surprisingly into leadership. Um, chairing the board of, uh, Denver Seminary as the first woman or…or serving even on leadership teams here at Our Daily Bread Ministries and just going, who, me? And God assuring me that what I think disqualifies me for ministry…
Jade: Yeah.
Elisa: …when we put it in His hands, it can further qualify us, and I’ve seen it over and over. And probably the most recent theme is this ongoing relinquishment of leadership. You…you lead by relinquishing. And you know, Viv, you’re a little bit younger than me. Your turn, you know, and Eryn, you’re coming up, your turn. And Mary Jo and Jade, your turn. And yet, God seems to say, but stay, Elisa stay. And so I stay in this spot where I’m still get to be me, a hundred percent me.
Jade: Yeah, yeah.
Elisa: But I’m really cheering on others as they’re growing and developing. And I’m learning from y’all, and we’re learning from each other. And I love that so much about God Hears Her, because it’s a cross-generational conversation.
Eryn: Yep, that’s right.
Elisa: So no matter who’s at the table, um, I’m older than somebody and very rarely younger than somebody. But…
Vivian: You still are. You still are.
Elisa: That’s…it’s okay. But you know, we have this cross-generational perspective where we learn from each other.
Eryn: Yeah.
Elisa: And to me, that’s the most gorgeous thing of the body of Christ.
Jade: Yeah.
Eryn: Yeah.
Elisa: So I’m so happy to be here and a part.
Eryn: That’s so good.
Jade: And you’re a great testament for breaking barriers as a woman.
Eryn: Yeah.
Jade: Like even saying the first woman on the board for Denver Seminary.
Vivian: Yeah, yeah.
Jade: Like you are an inspiration to all of us.
Elisa: You know, when God has you, especially as a woman, when He invites you into…through a door of opportunity to lead, you go through it.
Jade: Yeah.
Elisa: But you keep your foot in the door for the next woman coming behind you. And…and it’s just a beautiful thing. You don’t know where He’s gonna lead you, and so you jiggle all the doorknobs and you figure out, okay, if one opens, I’m going through it.
Eryn: Yeah.
Elisa: Unapologetically.
Jade: Yeah.
Eryn: Yeah.
Elisa: And with full faith that He’s got you. So…
Eryn: That’s so good.
Vivian: And I would say too, Elisa, you model such a deliberate, intentional succession plan.
Elisa: Mm-hmm.
Vivian: Consistently, wherever you’ve gone, you have really invested. So it’s not just like, oh, you know, wipe your hands and just walk off.
Elisa: Yay, done with that.
Vivian: Yeah. No, not at…not at all. It’s been dev…it’s developmental. It’s really thoughtful. And that I think makes you an exceptional leader.
Elisa: Gosh, thanks.
Vivian: Seriously. I mean that.
Eryn: That’s good.
Elisa: You may stay.
Vivian: Thank you.
[laughter]
Vivian: But I wanna go wherever you are, Elisa.
Elisa: Okay, I will stay, okay.
[laughter]
Vivian: You better stay. I’m just saying. Okay.
Eryn: That’s so good. I love that.
Elisa: Now you’re turn, baby cakes.
Eryn: Man, well, so much has changed since that one interview coming. Um. I am married and I’ve got three stepdaughters.
Vivian: Mm-hmm.
Eryn: Uh, 9, 15, 17. And what’s…as I’ve like, reflected on that question and just kind of trying to make sense of…I feel like we’re all on a journey of always trying to make sense of our life…
Jade: Yeah.
Eryn: …to some degree. And I’m like, okay, my energy and where…where I want to be or what I want to do, sometimes doesn’t match where God wants to place me and put me. And then my desire and His desire, all of a sudden I see alignment again. And then I veer off and then I get back in alignment again. And I think growing up in a household of like builders, like furniture makers, but then also building a company…
Vivian: Mm-hmm.
Eryn: …that’s always been something I’ve been a part of, whether I’m helping build a brand or build my own company. And so this last, hmm, like four years. I would reflect back. I’m like, I’ve been building a family.
Elisa: Mm-hmm.
Eryn: And that’s been…
Jade: Yeah, that’s right.
Eryn: …so cool to be a part of and locking arms with my husband.
Jade: Yeah.
Eryn: Uh, blending a family is no joke. It is…it is messy, and it is not supposed to replace other family members. It is there to learn how to, uh, support and love and create an environment where you can influence and listen and practice all the fruits of the Spirit. And what I’ve been doing the last four years is learning all of that, because I really enjoyed my singleness.
Jade: Yeah.
Eryn: I really enjoyed being single. I was content with it. I wasn’t, and then I was. And so then it’s been fun to learn how to be married again. And so you bring a different type of knowledge, baggage, past, maybe not baggage for some that they may not like that word. Uh, but…
Elisa: But it’s true.
Eryn: You bring a past with you, and then you’re still trying to imagine a future.
Vivian: Yeah.
Eryn: Um, after thinking your future would be something else with another person.
Mary Jo: Yeah.
Eryn: So it’s…it’s so complex. Um, but I’ve been processing all of that. And God Hears Her, honestly, it has changed me, and it’s because I’m on the other side of stories. Just like that, they think their life is gonna be one way, it turns out to be another. They find God in the middle. They see where God was. They hear from Him differently than they thought, or they didn’t think they were hearing from Him at all. And I, that’s so much of my story, especially in the last, you know, seven years.
Mary Jo: Right.
Eryn: So that’s where…that’s where I’ve been.
Jade: Yeah, Mary Jo, what about you? What does life look like?
Mary Jo: This one is gonna be the tough one ’cause this one’s maybe the one that’s gonna make me emotional. So let me pause for one second already. Um, when I look at, like back at God Hears Her and where I am now, I do compare it to the 100th episode where we also sat on this couch. Um, Vivian wasn’t here with us yet, so, um, that makes me emotional as well. You’re here now. Um, but ironically, coincidentally for me, I have babies every 100th episode.
[laughter]
Elisa: So the program ends when?
Mary Jo: Yeah, I only want two. I don’t know what that means for God Hears Her.
Vivian: [inaudible] God Hears Her episode.
Mary Jo: Yeah, this is just where we’re ending the cycle. God Hears Her can have 300 I…I’m…
Eryn: Yeah, she’s out.
Elisa: We’ll see. We’ll see.
Mary Jo: Um, but I think about the 100th episode. Uh, we…I was one month postpartum. And the reason this is so hard is because I didn’t know how hard I was struggling.
Eryn: Oh.
Mary Jo: And I…I…all my whole life, we’re gonna get real for a second. My whole life I’ve had on and off, depression and anxiety. And I thought that made me ready for postpartum, because I’ve done it. I’ve done the whole depression thing. I’m gonna be fine. And um, I’m sorry, I wasn’t one month postpartum. I was one month from returning back to the office.
Vivian: Okay.
Mary Jo: So I was four months postpartum when we had the 100th. And I was so overwhelmed. I didn’t…I didn’t like the skin I was in. My identity from pre-baby to having that first baby shifted so dramatically. My, um, obviously my lifestyle changed.
Elisa: Sure.
Mary Jo: Um, lifestyle completely changed, body completely changed, my job completely changed. Everything I knew to be true changed. And we’ve had a lot of identity conversations on this show, which have just been an absolute blessing for me; because it reminds me to recenter myself with who’s defining me.
Vivian: Yeah.
Mary Jo: And that’s God, that’s not my job.
Vivian: That’s right.
Eryn: Right.
Mary Jo: That’s not my body. That’s not my children. That’s not my status of being single or married. Like all of those things. Now, 200th episode, I have had my second baby. And obviously like I’m still in the postpartum season. But it is…it doesn’t feel the same way as when I had my first.
Vivian: Mm-hmm.
Mary Jo: And I think for me, that’s just been the gift of God having led me through that season, having had already shifted my identities in so many different ways. I entered this one knowing Who I belong to. Even though I knew then this is…I’ve experienced it. Um.
Eryn: Yeah, just had a different meaning.
Mary Jo: It had a different meaning.
Eryn: A deeper meaning.
Mary Jo: And…and He…He could remind me because it happened rather than it was something I had to discover.
Eryn: Yeah.
Vivian: That’s true.
Mary Jo: I had to rediscover it, but it was…it was there. And so I’m just like, I’m so grateful to be here for the 200th with a very mirrored experience, except for a lot more joy and peace and happiness in that. And it doesn’t make it easier. I’m very tired.
[laughter]
Jade: But you still show up every day.
Mary Jo: I’m showing up.
Vivian: Showing up.
Mary Jo: I’m here. I have for me the best team. Like I couldn’t work for…with…for a better team. I just feel so much support in this office. It’s very hard being a working mom.
Vivian: Yeah.
Mary Jo: And so to show up knowing that it’s not just my two children that are being taken care of. Um, but. I’m taken care of here while I get to also take care of people here. So yeah…
Eryn: Ooh. I love that.
Mary Jo: It’s…it’s a lot. It’s…it’s a…I’m in a very beautiful season and I’m really grateful for it. And that’s something I really want our listeners to hear and know too, is specifically those that are moms with new babies working or not. Um, you know you’re not alone. And it’s okay to feel the feelings you’re feeling.
Vivian: Yeah.
Mary Jo: I would just really encourage you, even if you’ve experienced them and felt them before, to just really focus on who God says you are.
Eryn: Yeah.
Mary Jo: And then to also lean into the community that He’s given you.
Vivian: Yeah.
Mary Jo: And, um, make sure you know that they are also the right people that you should be leaning into, but like, just surround yourself with the right people and be able to support them in that way too. So yeah.
Eryn: That’s good.
Elisa: Thanks.
Mary Jo: Jade?
Jade: I love your heart, Mary Jo. But, um, I, in the course of God hears her started, and I was dating this guy named Tyler. And I remember I…it was like my third day. And I was meeting like the entire team and everybody’s like talking about their spouses and everything. And I’m like, do I mention I’ve been dating this guy for like three months? You know what I mean? It’s like if we break up, everybody knows like she was dating this guy. But yeah, so we got married, um, and now it’s almost been three years of marriage, which is just…
Eryn: Wow.
Jade: …crazy. Like sometimes I can’t believe how old I am. It’s crazy. Um, and the youngest one here.
[laughter]
Elisa: That’s right.
Vivian: As we chuckle on this side.
Jade: Yeah, yeah, time just keeps going by so fast.
Eryn: It does.
Jade: Um, but we’ve been in a little two bedroom apartment, and it has been just getting full. And we are so tired of being in an apartment. And so last year, like year and a half ago actually, we started looking at houses and we finally bought a house.
Eryn: Yay.
Jade: So I have been quite literally on the hamster wheel of work and things outside of work. My sister’s also getting married right now. Um, and I’m her maid of honor, so it’s just preparing to like send my little sister off, so we have that. And then moving into a new house and just learning how to make a home and invite people in. I’m just really excited about becoming a hostess. ’cause you know, in an apartment it’s harder to have people over. There’s less space. So it’s just…I feel like a new chapter, and I’m really excited. And I feel like, as the achiever we’ve talked about, you have this list. Like I remember saying to my husband after we closed on the house, I was like, we have a mortgage now. Like check that off the list. You know?
Elisa: Super responsible.
Jade: Like we have a mortgage. And my husband’s like we have a mortgage. Like, let me pull up the Excel spreadsheet and like map out our budget. You know.
Eryn: So sweet.
Jade: But it just, yeah. So outside of God Hears Her, I’m just still I feel like figuring out life in my twenties and adjusting to all these first things that are happening.
Elisa: You know, if I can, I…I just, I’d love to like back the camera out and just pause. Because what we just did is what we do on God Hears Her. You know, there is these moments of pausing and evaluating, noticing and evaluating. You know, and these beautiful seasonal experiences.
Jade: Yeah.
Elisa: And they’re each different. I mean, here I am in [sound effect] older age. And here you are, you know, in later life transitions. And here you are in a second marriage and discovering the building, and here you are in the identity formation of becoming a mom. And here you are in the solidifying stage of early marriage. And…and our listeners have a lot of other things. You know, some are gonna be moving into a widow…
Jade: Yeah.
Elisa: …stance. Some are entering into a new job place, you know, and…and on and on.
Eryn: Yeah.
Elisa: But I think 200th episode, or 100th or 15th hundred, it’s so important to pause and look at the identity formation that happens by God’s hand, who we are now, now, now, now, now, and now, you know, and how God hears us. Now, now, now, now. Thank you for that exercise, Jade. That’s really powerful.
Jade: Yeah. And I think going off of that, Elisa too, cause now 200 episodes is a long time. So in working on God Hears Her and learning other people’s stories and where He has them, how has your faith changed or how has your spirituality changed? How has your relationship with the Lord changed and altered?
Eryn: Mine has definitely changed. Some stories where there’s been so much devastation…
Jade: Yeah.
Eryn: …and watching a faith persevere…
Jade: Yeah.
Eryn: …sharpens my faith in…in moments that feel devastating to me. And it may not be the same circumstance, but it can feel devastating. I think faith builds faith. So when I’m listening to these stories of faith, it has just built mine. I think…I think about some of the stories that we’ve been on the other side of where I’ve gotten off and just cried and called Matt and was just like, that one wrecked me. And I like tried to hold the tears in ’cause I didn’t want the guests to feel responsible for my crying and…
Jade: Yeah.
Eryn: …or stop sharing the story or…
Elisa: Yeah.
Eryn: …make it about me, you know? But there’ve been some episodes that they’ve sharpened my faith by just seeing how God can show up in the darkest, darkest, darkest, most evil spaces. And I know that’s…I went real deep there. I mean, we’ve had some lighthearted conversations too, but the…the dark, dark places that, uh, those conversations have been the ones that have shaped me so much. Cause I’m like, wow, God does really shine bright even in these circumstances, even in the anger and the questioning and the…the permission to be upset with the Lord and still see how much He loves us. And so, yeah, that would. That’d be for me.
Jade: That’s beautiful, Eryn. Yeah.
Vivian: I think I’m always needing the reminder, kind of dovetailing off what you’re sharing, Eryn, that God knows. He sees, He hears, He…I mean, we say it all the time in the podcast, you know, but it’s true. Like, um, we belong to Him and every single guest. It’s just like each of us, none of our thumbprints are the same.
Elisa: Right.
Vivian: None of our stories are the same. And that would be true of our guests as well. But what an honor to be able to have that moment, to hear their stories and to recognize God at work.
Eryn: Yeah.
Vivian: God is always at work. And God is a 360-degree God. He shows Himself faithful. And often we’re in the middle of it, so we don’t necessarily see that part yet.
Jade: Yeah.
Vivian: But when we’re with someone who’s walked through and kind of what you’re talking about, Eryn, like walked through some serious trials, it helps me to have a better framework for when, not if…
Eryn: Yeah.
Vivian: …for when life gets challenging. Um, and in that same way we draw from one another, we draw strength from each other. And I think that’s such a beautiful picture of the community…
Eryn: Yeah.
Vivian: …that God intended for us to live in, that we weren’t meant to be alone…
Eryn: Right.
Vivian:…to walk through our mental health, our emotional ups and downs, our different seasons of life. Like in…in no part were we meant to have to walk that alone.
Jade: Right.
Eryn: Yeah.
Vivian: And I think that’s a huge piece of community.
Eryn: You said framework and it just pinged my brain. I completely agree. And also, there were some episodes that. I got so excited to listen to, cause I knew I could apply it to my home life right now. So like…there were…
Elisa: Oh yeah.
Eryn: …some that, like…
Elisa: Got to watch that, yeah.
Eryn: …I just remembered that. Like I would be like, oh my gosh, we’re talking to Cheryl Shumake, and she talks about being a stepmom. And I’m a stepmom, and…
Unknown voice: Ahhh.
Eryn: …like, I don’t know what it…and then she’d like, became a friend and now she’s a prayer warrior for our family. And like, uh, that just] reminded me of specifically, this is also how the show has changed and shifted my faith is the guests have become some of my friends that are now my lifeline…
Jade: Yeah.
Eryn: …in learning how to apply it to my family.
Jade: Yeah, I think going off of that, Eryn, I have been in the background for these episodes. Like I am doing the brainstorming, the processing, the research for our guests. And so I know what to expect. Like I know why we’re having them on. I know what they’re gonna be talking about. So it’s nothing new when we set up to record, even though sometimes we do find out new things in their story; and it’s not all scripted or anything like that. But I have been amazed, having that expectation, knowing what to expect, and then sitting there and the guest or one of you start speaking into something that I’ve been praying about or like something that is so significant and important for me to hear. Like I remember, I mean, getting married was really hard for me because my parents are divorced, and I didn’t realize like how much trauma would come up in getting married.
Vivian: Mm-hmm.
Jade: And so my first year of marriage was so hard. And I cannot tell you how many times I was sitting there with like this personal battle going on and producing the show. And then the guest or one of you starts sharing something that is like, oh Lord, that’s what I needed to hear. Like, that has been my prayer. I’ve been crying out to You about this. And that’s the advice that I needed. Or that’s the encouragement or, like people that have been on that have talked about like, um, overcoming trauma or overcoming hardship and being like also just knowing I will get through this.
Eryn: Yeah.
Elisa: Yes, yes.
Jade: Like it is not permanent, and it may be hard, and other things may come up.
Eryn: Yeah.
Jade: But the Lord is not going to abandon me. The Lord has put me here specifically here for a reason.
Eryn: Yeah.
Jade: And I will grow, and I will change, and I will heal. And it will be a constant journey. But just knowing that the Lord is still hearing me. And even through the show, like He is providing those answers when I least expect it.
Eryn: Yeah, so good.
Jade: And He’s always there, and He’s always leading us.
Elisa: I’m just sitting on my tongue in my hands. And I’m just going [clapping sound] because…because that’s my favorite part.
Jade: Yeah.
Eryn: Yeah.
Elisa: And I love…I mean, you do the work. You’re exactly right. Y’all do the work, and you send us things, and I pull ’em up like five minutes before we start.
[laughter]
Elisa: And I’m like, okay. And then I love to go look for that thread of what is this…their story? And I never really know what I’m gonna hear.
Jade: Yeah.
Eryn: Yeah, it’s so true.
Elisa: I pray and pray and pray and begin to hear. And my favorite part is when it begins to thread together, and I start hearing the themes. And I pull out those themes, and I listen to those themes and…and then I see what God does with them. I just love that. And it’s a discovery every time. It takes so much pressure off of having to be some kind of perfect interviewer. And then I love too, sometimes Eryn and I, or Viv and I are texting to each other going, are you gonna ask this question?
Eryn: So true.
Jade: Yeah.
Elisa: And it’s like, boom, boom. You watch God acting and pulling it all together. And you know, it’s like, are we done? No, we have more questions. Okay. And…and you know, and then we get done and we go, Jade, anything more? And you may have that one perfect ending, or God gave that perfect ending to Eryn. Anyway, I love participating with the Holy Spirit.
Jade: Yeah.
Elisa: As He brings out whatever it is He wants to reveal.
Jade: Yeah.
Vivian: It’s kind of that synergistic working in tandem. And it’s a team group thing.
Elisa: Yeah. Yeah.
Vivian: With the Holy Spirit.
Jade: Yes.
Elisa: Yeah, it’s really cool.
Vivian: It’s really beautiful.
Eryn: It really is.
Jade: Yeah, yeah.
Mary Jo: Okay, so mine goes a little off of where we were landing, but…
Elisa: Okay, we can’t share it though.
Mary Jo: I know.
Elisa: Cause I was talking about themes and being all…
Mary Jo: Yeah, and mine…my beautiful themes like all stem from just my life changing so much. So my life changing so much while producing this show and being a part of it and hearing the different episodes, my spiritual growth has been impacted by the permission I’ve been given through these women’s stories.
Eryn: Yeah.
Mary Jo: And…
Elisa: That’s really powerful.
Mary Jo: …I don’t act like an achiever. I wouldn’t use the word achiever to describe myself, but perfectionist is what I am. So on the things that I am tasked with doing, I just…they always have to be perfect.
Eryn: Yeah.
Mary Jo: Which it…it…it almost masks as an achiever because it just means I have a checklist, and I have to check off the to-dos. And so for instance, in a spiritual walk, then that would include things like devos time, being in the Word, praying, prayer, life, all those different things that are so beautiful and so important. But as my life has been shifting over the last couple of years, having less obvious time to be intentional with that…
Vivian: Yeah.
Mary Jo: …has been very hard for me.
Vivian: Yes.
Jade: Yeah.
Mary Jo: Because I feel like a failure. And we’ve had a whole lot of guests that have been able to speak truth into the permission of what quiet time can look like.
Eryn: Yeah.
Mary Jo: Or what I’ve been doing [coughing] for years now is just reading the Psalms. I have been going through to allow to see where David and the other psalmist have been like lament but also praising God.
Vivian: Yeah.
Mary Jo: And that’s why I’ve been in a season for the last few years. And it’s like for me, my spiritual walk has just been reading the stories to understand I’m not alone now based even on what people were experiencing back then through God’s promises.
Jade: Yeah.
Mary Jo: I have one other that I really want to share, cause this was so big for me. We had a guest on…Julie Richardson and…and I’m very grateful to…to have a friendship with her. And as someone that does struggle with things like imposter syndrome, I often bring up to her how I don’t feel qualified for certain tasks or certain things that have been asked of me that are beautiful offerings, that’s like a new opportunity for me to grow. But I’m…I say to her, I’m not qualified. I’m not qualified. I don’t know why they’re asking me. I’m not qualified. And she has brought up multiple times now, that doesn’t mean God isn’t calling you to do it. You know, you think of Moses being called to lead a lot of people. And he’s like, I can’t. I’m like, I can’t talk.
Eryn: I stutter, yeah.
Mary Jo: Yeah and which I very much relate to that part, specifically the stammering. I’m like, can someone else talk for me though?
Vivian: Right.
Mary Jo: It’s like, I have called you to be doing this. And that has meant so much to me to see, even if I still feel unqualified at the end, God brought me through something that was an opportunity to grow and to, um, build muscles.
Eryn: Yeah, yeah.
Mary Jo: Just a way to be used in a different way. And so that’s been a beautiful growth spiritually for me is just…just because you’re not qualified doesn’t mean God isn’t calling you.
Vivian: That’s right.
Elisa: Cool.
Jade: Yeah, and Mary Jo, you hit on, um, like talking about the struggle of not being able to have like your personal devo time, um, and just the guests that have talked about redefining quiet time and how much that’s meant to you. So my final question for each one of us is, um, in working on the show, thinking about God Hears Her, what is your hope for our audience? Like what do you hope that our audience is taking away or learning from God Hears Her?
Elisa: I guess I’m gonna encourage us all to dip our toe into Scripture. Because you’re absolutely right. It doesn’t have to be [sound effect] you know, this giant thing. But to just dip our toe into it. And most of the time we get to do that in our conversations, but um, not always. But to…to try and open Scripture and read a bit. You know, I…I used to have this two-bite rule when I was growing up. My mom said, you need to eat two bites of everything on your plate. You know, and one day you’re gonna be big enough to like it. And I remember I hated cherry tomatoes. And I’d look at my sister, who’s two years older than me, and she would just eat cherry tomatoes. And I thought, my goodness, she’s so mature, you know? And I just wanted to be like her, you know? And I kept trying and went…didn’t, but one day I did. And I think that kind of, you know, as I realize I do like ’em now. I think that kind of applies to how we approach Scripture. Just open it. It might seem intimidating, but just take two bites, you know, read a little passage and say, what does it say?
Eryn: Yeah.
Elisa: And the second bite is so what? What does that mean to me today?
Jade: Yeah.
Elisa: And then we develop an appetite for that. And it doesn’t have to be with 12 commentaries, but just opening up Scripture and taking two bites a day. That…that’s what I really would pray.
Jade: Yeah. I love that.
Vivian: Yeah, I think my hope would be that our listeners would turn to the Lord and lean into others. Again, we’ve talked about this in different forms, but we need each other.
Jade: Yeah.
Eryn: Yeah.
Vivian: Um, so my hope is that the podcast would encourage women to take that step of vulnerability to be real.
Jade: Yeah.
Vivian: To open up and to share what’s really going on and…
Elisa: Not hide it.
Vivian: Not hide it. and use this…use the conversation to be a springboard into real life, real relationships with real people.
Jade: Yes.
Vivian: You know, shoulder to shoulder kind of going through life. So that would be my hope.
Eryn: That’s good. I would say in thinking about how we were talking about where we were, where we are now, and thinking about the listener, um, no matter what circumstance they’re going through right now. My hope has always been from day one that God would redeem my story so wild and so crazy that…and He’d have to change so much in me that I could only give Him credit.
Jade: Yeah.
Eryn: And that’s always been my prayer for myself. I’ve experienced it and witnessed that answer of prayer. But I’ve also witnessed it with all of our guests.
Jade: Yeah.
Eryn: And my hope for everybody listening that that becomes their prayer too, that there’s nothing too broken, too messy uh, that God can’t redeem, that God can’t make better, that God can’t step into and light up whatever that dysfunction is or that circumstance is, or that family situation is, or that relationship is. He is there. And pray the wild prayer that He will redeem your life.
Elisa: That’s beautiful. Dare to do it, yeah.
Eryn: So crazy that only you could give Him credit for. Because I’m telling you, He loves that assignment.
[laughter]
Elisa: He does.
Eryn: He does. He loves that assignment.
Elisa: He specializes in that.
Eryn: He does specialize in…and that’s a…that’s a guaranteed answered prayer I will say.
Jade: Yeah.
Mary Jo: I have had a little mission for myself since my twenties, because I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew I needed to fit it into something. And my mission became to make people happy and to feed them cake.
[laughter]
Elisa: And you do that. And you do that.
Mary Jo: And I…I…I do at least check. I’ve had to shift the make people happy part, because that’s not…that’s not possible. It’s not my job. And it’s an absolute gift to work on this podcast and to be asked that question, because for me it’s shifted from making people happy to making people feel seen and heard. And I feel like that is what I’ve always wanted for God Hears Her. And I feel like that’s what we do with these stories is we…we share the stories to make sure that somebody listening even, even if it’s one person with that specific episode, feels seen and heard. And so that’s what I continue to want. And it gives you more space to have the empathy and the love of sharing story. And that’s the other thing that I really want for God Hears Her. We had another podcast through Our Daily Bread Ministries called Where Ya From? And that was through our Voices collection. And it was the same thing that we tried to do there. This world right now is so polarizing. Like you can just lose a friend in an instant because of one difference of opinion. And I don’t think that’s where we’re called to be. And so my hope with sharing stories on God Hears Her is that we are building love and grace and empathy to understand where someone’s coming from and that their story may look different than yours. And that’s why they’re talking about what they’re talking about. But that we can sit on a couch together or in separate rooms on a podcast screen, you know.
[laughter]
Mary Jo: Over a video format and show love and grace and continue to have conversations, build relationships, and know that we’re serving God together. So I hope God Hears Her is that.
Jade: Yeah. And going off of that, like thinking about how different we all are and like the different guests that we’ve had on how we might disagree with people. Um, my one thing for listeners is I just want them to know that God loves every single one of us. Like God loves you listening, but He also loves your enemy, or at least someone that you see as your enemy. He loves the people that you disagree with. Like our Lord is a loving Father. And the love that He has for you, he has for your neighbor too. So I just want people, especially God Hears Her listeners to know that they’re deeply loved but to also carry that love into the world.
Elisa: That’s beautiful.
Jade: Like into your disagreements, into potential fights or, um, just rough conversations. Like you can have a hard conversation and still be loving.
Eryn: That’s right.
Jade: And so I just want people to know like, you are deeply loved, and I want them to carry that into their entire lives. Like, God loves every single one of us.
Elisa: And my pastor says, “And there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Jade: Yeah.
Elisa: I love that.
Jade: There’s nothing you can do about it. Yeah, well, we’ve done it, friends…200 episodes.
[cheering]
Jade: We can celebrate now. Let’s have cake.
Mary Jo: I do have cake. I do have cake.
Eryn: You have cake?
Mary Jo: I do have cake.
Jade: She does have cake.
Eryn: I’m so excited.
Elisa: You should bring it out.
[inaudible]
Vivian: She does. She loves you.
Eryn: So great.
Vivian: She loves all of us clearly, but she loves you.
Eryn: All right, let’s go eat some cake.
Jade: Yeah, let’s go get some cake.
[woo]
[music]
Jade: Oh, we love cake.
[crosstalk]
Elisa: Oh, you’re so sweet.
Jade: Oh my goodness.
Eryn: Okay [inaudible] and I was like, oh my gosh.
Jade: She’s bringing a cake, yeah.
[music]
Mary Jo: Which is inspired by…
Elisa: Clementine.
Mary Jo: The Secret Life of [Walter Mitty].
[laughter]
Eryn: Oh I love that.
Mary Jo: [inaudible]
Elisa: But our guest yesterday was [inaudible].
Jade: Clementine security.
Mary Jo: I know.
Eryn: Oh my gosh. [inaudible]
Elisa: I don’t think we need plates. I think we just need spoons.
Jade: Just all take a bite.
[laughter]
Mary Jo: Also these are garnish. You can eat them if you want.
Eryn: Wait, I want to take a picture. Really?
Show Notes
- “Especially as a woman, when He invites you through a door of opportunity to lead, you go through it. But you keep your foot in the door for the next woman behind you.” —Elisa Morgan
- “We’ve had a lot of identity conversations on this show, which have just been an absolute blessing for me because it reminds me to recenter myself with who’s defining me, and that’s God. It’s not my job, it’s not my body, it’s not my children, it’s not my status of being single or married.” —Mary Jo Clark
- “Faith builds faith. When I’m listening to these stories of faith, it has built mine.” —Eryn Eddy Adkins
- “God knows. He sees. He hears. We say it all the time in the podcast, but it’s true! We belong to Him. None of our thumbprints are the same. None of our stories are the same. What an honor to be able to have that moment to hear these stories and to recognize God at work. God is a 360-degree God. He shows Himself faithful. It [these stories] helps me to build a framework for when life gets challenging.” —Vivian Mabuni
- “The Lord is not going to abandon me. The Lord has put me here—specifically here—for a reason. I will grow and I will change and I will heal, and it will be a constant journey, but knowing that the Lord is still hearing me—He’s always here, and He’s always leading us.” —Jade Gustman
- “My spiritual growth has been impacted by the permission I have been given through these women’s stories.” —Mary Jo Clark
- “Even if I still feel unqualified at the end, God brought me through something that was an opportunity to grow and to build muscles. Just because you’re not qualified doesn’t mean that God isn’t calling you.” —Mary Jo Clark
Links Mentioned
- Unshakable Moxie BOGO Deal
- Watch the episode on the God Hears Her YouTube channel
- Share Your Story
- God Hears Her email sign-up
- Subscribe on iTunes!
- Elisa’s Instagram: elisamorganauthor
- Eryn’s Instagram: eryneddy
- Vivians Instagram: vivmabuni
- Our Daily Bread Ministries Website
Bible Verses:
Related Episodes:
- GHH Ep 94 – Q&A with Elisa Morgan and Eryn Eddy Adkins
- GHH Ep 100 – Looking Back to Move Forward
About the Guest(s)
Elisa Morgan
Elisa is an international speaker, an author for God Hears Her and Our Daily Bread, and a co-host of Discover the Word. She has authored over twenty-five books on mothering, spiritual formation, and evangelism, including The NIV Mom’s Devotional Bible, The Beauty of Broken, Hello, Beauty Full, and When We Pray Like Jesus. For twenty years, Elisa served as CEO of MOPS International. She is married to Evan, and they have two grown children and two grandchildren who live near them in Denver, Colorado.
Eryn Eddy Adkins
Eryn is the founder and CEO of So Worth Loving, a lifestyle clothing brand. Since starting in 2011, she’s grown her company to include customers in all fifty states and in thirty countries, and the company is still going strong. She and her work have been featured on CNN and MSNBC, as well as Southern Living and Atlanta Magazine. This creative enjoys oil painting and singing, and she’s even had her music featured on MTV and VH1. Eryn is also an author and a speaker, and she calls Atlanta home.
Vivian Mabuni
Vivian Mabuni is a national speaker, author, Bible teacher, and the founder and host of Someday Is Here, a podcast for Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). Her writing has appeared in Christianity Today, She Reads Truth, and Our Daily Bread. She is also the author of Open Hands, Willing Heart and Warrior in Pink. Vivian has been on staff with Cru for more than 30 years. Viv loves drinking coffee with her husband, Darrin, and marveling at their young adult kids.
Jade Gustafson
Jade Gustafson is currently a senior at Grand Valley State University studying English and writing. She is a blog post writer and small group leader for GVSU’s Delight Ministries. While she is figuring out her future she continues to work at Our Daily Bread Ministries in the podcast department.
Mary Jo Clark
After years of working in bakeries, coffee shops, and food trucks, Mary Jo Clark returned to her love of audio production and sharing stories. She is now a podcast producer and engineer for Our Daily Bread Ministries. Outside of her passion for creating excellent podcasts to encourage women, she is a talented baker. Her cookies and cupcakes are described by many as “legendary.” She’s married to her husband Russ, and they are proud parents of a beautiful one-year-old boy named Milo.
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I was a new widow in 2018. My husband died in December 2017. Thankfully God Hears Her began and my heart started healing. It’s been used by God to encourage me ever since.