Ep. 140 - Adorned Podcast Finale

[00:00:00] What's up? Welcome back to Adorn Podcast. This is episode 140 and this is our final episode.

[00:00:08] Like ever.

[00:00:13] Hi friends, and welcome to the Adorned Podcast. We're your host, Erin and Kacie. We would love for you to come join us each week as we discuss what it means to be made beautiful by God's word. Whether you are a college student walking to class, a mom folding laundry during nap time or a boss babe sitting in rush of the day,

[00:00:30] or a shower traffic, we hope that we can encourage and inspire you to pursue a deeper understanding of the Bible.

[00:00:43] So what should we call this episode? I feel like we always have titles for our series and things, what what should we call this?

[00:00:49] Adorned finale.

[00:00:51] finale finale finale finale finale finale feels like very Texan. What?

[00:00:57] finale sounds like Denali like the Alaska City.

[00:01:01] I don't know what's going on here.

[00:01:04] This is a finale.

[00:01:05] Yes.

[00:01:06] So, what is happening? Why is this the end? What is the final episode? What does that mean?

[00:01:12] It means that it's the final episode. It means this is our last episode of the Adorned Podcast.

[00:01:19] So, how did that come to be? Why is it stopping?

[00:01:23] For me. So one of my favorite things over the past three and a half years has been God's faithfulness to us through this podcast.

[00:01:32] And for each new series, like God was just so good to show us clarity, like to give us clarity about what the series was supposed to look like.

[00:01:44] For instance, I remember, I mean, there's just been multiple times that this has happened but one year in like November, Aaron was like, hey, I think our next series needs to be James.

[00:01:55] Like for next fall, like she wouldn't even talk in spring. She was talking about fall and I still have the text message and I was like, oh, like why are you even worried about this right now?

[00:02:04] Okay, sure. Let's do James and then fast forward several months later we meet our friends Natalie and Mallory and Mallory's like, hey, we're doing James in the fall.

[00:02:12] Well, you all join us and help us with this. And I just looked at Aaron and Aaron had forgotten that she even said let's do James but I have a text to prove that it happened.

[00:02:21] But obviously, that's what God wanted us to do. And I mean, it was just one thing after another like that where it was like God just showed us very clearly.

[00:02:30] Like it was rare that we were like, oh, what should we do? And so that's kind of how this came to be for me.

[00:02:37] Like I was just praying about the spring semester and it still talks semester like I'm in school but you know the spring semester.

[00:02:44] And what we were supposed to do, Aaron and I kind of had an idea for this like Bible and a year thing we wanted to do.

[00:02:50] And as I was praying through it, I just felt like God was saying like Casey, this is the end of this season.

[00:02:56] Like I have new things for you. I have different things for you that I want you to focus on and I think it's time to tell the podcast goodbye.

[00:03:03] And so it was like super bittersweet and I didn't talk to Aaron about it for like two weeks because I was like, I don't want her to hate me.

[00:03:10] But yeah, so that's kind of how it came to be for me.

[00:03:14] Yeah, I think you used a word in there that is so important as like season.

[00:03:19] Yeah. And I think that's kind of what God has been showing me is like he has things for us and sometimes he has things for us for a season

[00:03:27] Yeah. And to like trust him with that because I tend to like hold on to things.

[00:03:32] And so I feel like he's been showing me like let me walk you through seasons.

[00:03:37] And in each season, there are so many abundant good things I have for you.

[00:03:42] Right. But if you're holding on to something that I'm ready for you to walk through something different.

[00:03:47] Like you're missing out on what I have for you because you're clinging so tightly to something that that season is done.

[00:03:53] And so yeah, that's good.

[00:03:55] I just like think back to where we were when we started this.

[00:03:59] I mean, we were at a different church. We were in a completely different season of our life.

[00:04:03] I was in the right in the middle of walking through infertility. Like there was we were in such a different place that there was it was just God stepped in in a big way through this podcast to meet us in that season.

[00:04:17] And now we're in a different place like not that that place was horrible and now we're in this beautiful perfect place and not that that place was perfect and now we're in a bad place.

[00:04:25] It's neither it's just different but it's different. And so yeah, there's just so many things that we'll talk about this a little bit more about that.

[00:04:32] God is like walking us into that we have to be okay saying, okay, God, that was a season. And now we're ready for kind of like what else do you have, Lord?

[00:04:42] Yeah, as I think back on the last three and a half years, I was kind of reflecting on it, you know, before today thinking about recording our last podcast.

[00:04:50] Man, the last three and a half years have been like hard, beautiful, amazing, awful.

[00:05:00] Like there's been tears. I mean 2020 was within the last three and a half years. Like there's been a lot that's happened in our lives and God's been faithful through it all. And I think he's used the podcast through every bit of those seasons.

[00:05:14] And so I think about, you know, during 2020 how the podcast was possibly a way for women to stay connected through the pandemic when we weren't able to physically go to church and connect with women that way.

[00:05:27] I just I just think about the ways God's used it during different seasons. And I just look at his faithfulness and think about the tears we've cried and the laughter that we've shared. And you know, just how sweet it's been.

[00:05:40] Yeah, yeah, let's go.

[00:05:42] So you're talking about like new seasons and stuff. What is the Lord doing in your life right now, like specifically?

[00:05:50] Well, I mean, like so many things, right? We I think we've said this multiple times in the first Peter study. We just finished of like God is doing a million things and we might be aware of three.

[00:05:59] But I think the Lord's been really just showing me the importance of the local church and

[00:06:07] and the ways to like care for the local church well. And so that's going to look a little different in each season. But I'm I think that's one of the things I'm really excited about is being able to more focus all of my time in attention and care for teaching and my with my role at the church just being able to focus on that a little more like fully and completely.

[00:06:35] Yeah, yeah. I feel like it was very similar for me like or it is what I'm excited about and what I feel like the Lord's doing. So I feel like coming out of this like virtual season of COVID.

[00:06:46] I have really felt like God's been telling me like I need to focus on the people that I can hug the people that I can share a meal with the people that are physically in my life.

[00:06:55] And that's not to knock like online ministries at all. Like there's definitely a place for that that I feel like in my life right now he's saying hey, like I have people right in front of you that I want you to disciple and minister to and love well.

[00:07:11] And my time has been so divided that it's time to just focus on that. And one of the things we're excited about is we're going to help plant a church in the town right over. So we're not like moving everybody freaks out where you're going.

[00:07:26] We're not we might move but it'll be like five minutes away, you know.

[00:07:30] And we're super excited about that. But I want to be able like Aaron said to just really focus on the local church. I want to focus on my this new local church and really just pour into this community.

[00:07:42] And yeah, so I'm excited about it. I'm excited about this next season even though it is bittersweet telling a dorm goodbye. I'm really excited about what God's doing.

[00:07:52] Yeah, yeah, that's it's been really, really cool to watch. And if you've listened for a while, you've gotten to hear kind of like threads of the way God has just woven this beautiful story for your family of, you know, having this desire to church plant and all the way he's carried you through and like provided away for you has been really, really encouraging.

[00:08:10] So I'm super excited for you guys to keep walking that journey. It's awesome. Thanks.

[00:08:14] So I thought maybe we could, we didn't plan on this but I think this might be a good idea real quick to give kind of like a summary of all things that have happened through adorned ministries.

[00:08:26] Oh goodness. Okay, you start.

[00:08:28] Okay, so some people know and some people don't know but we obviously have the podcast and started with the podcast and we had that for a long time.

[00:08:35] We also do local events. It started as kind of like pop up worship events and coffee shops and things like that with some Bible teaching and gospel presentations.

[00:08:45] We do a big Christmas event but we've also done some other things we've done like a digging deeper workshop where we taught women how to study God's word.

[00:08:55] We've gotten to speak at some conferences and also at some local church events. And so it's just been a very like well-rounded like whole season.

[00:09:08] Yeah.

[00:09:09] And the podcast has been kind of the main consistent thing throughout.

[00:09:13] Yeah, yeah.

[00:09:14] So through specifically, what does not be specifically on podcasts but thinking of all things adorned but probably more specifically to the podcast.

[00:09:20] What has been kind of your favorite either specific episode or series that we've done?

[00:09:27] It's really hard. It's like asking me to choose a favorite kid.

[00:09:31] Well, I mean there's 140 episodes. I cannot believe that when I said that but yeah, 140 episodes.

[00:09:37] So there's a few things that stand out to me. I think first it would be the who got his series.

[00:09:44] So what did we call it? He is.

[00:09:46] We call it who got his? Yeah.

[00:09:47] Yeah, so much so I've said it before but I even have he is tattooed on my wrist now.

[00:09:51] Like so obviously that was hugely impactful for me studying the attributes of God.

[00:09:56] Just spending time in that being able to see that in scripture now.

[00:10:02] I feel like I'm more aware to look for his attributes.

[00:10:05] So I was really, really impactful series for me.

[00:10:08] And then I would say the second one.

[00:10:11] It's a tie between Genesis because that was very challenging but so good.

[00:10:19] Like to go verse by verse through Genesis was really, really good.

[00:10:23] But then also the one we did this spring, the story of scripture series was just again like I feel like biblical theology.

[00:10:31] Like I can't get enough of it.

[00:10:33] Like I'm just constantly trying to learn more about the story of scripture as a whole.

[00:10:39] And we're things fit together and locations on the map and just everything we went through in that series.

[00:10:44] I'm just, I'm continuing to try to like dive into that more because I feel like it's God's story right?

[00:10:49] Like the whole thing is God's story and it's so important because it's God's story.

[00:10:53] We're a part of that story and especially like going to plant this new church and studying like the early church

[00:11:00] and just, I mean all of it.

[00:11:02] It's just, it's so big and so beautiful.

[00:11:04] So I would say those are my top like three things.

[00:11:08] Making connections with other women in ministry and one of my all time favorite things that we did was when we went to Redeemer Amarillo.

[00:11:17] It's a sister church of ours.

[00:11:20] And just the way they welcomed us there.

[00:11:22] I mean we felt like we had been part of their church for years and it was our first time to meet them.

[00:11:29] So to just see that true like sisterhood in Christ, like played out that weekend.

[00:11:35] We were there to teach them but I came away like feeling so blessed by that.

[00:11:41] So yeah, those were some highlights for me but they're just so many.

[00:11:44] Right now.

[00:11:45] What about you?

[00:11:46] I know.

[00:11:47] Oh gosh.

[00:11:48] I mean you took a lot of the same ones that I was in game.

[00:11:50] So the Who God is series was really, really same for me like super impactful.

[00:11:55] I think because we had different voices too.

[00:11:58] So like when we thought of okay who, who has done a really good job like of learning this specific attribute.

[00:12:06] So it was very kind of specific to what God was doing in people's lives at that time.

[00:12:10] That's true.

[00:12:11] So like Casey got to teach about how he's a good father and like their story with the son Isaac.

[00:12:15] And so like it was very just so impactful because the people who taught were like this is what God is teaching me right now.

[00:12:23] Yeah.

[00:12:24] So that was really cool and honestly, I mean we were just figuring out how to do this but I think our first couple episodes like on theology and why it matters

[00:12:34] and like why it matters for when we did how to live it out.

[00:12:36] It's a little rough if you go back and listen to it because we were like we were just in Casey's kitchen.

[00:12:40] It was like the first time we had ever been recording and so the dog kept barking.

[00:12:44] There is a little bit of like learning curve there like audio quality wise.

[00:12:48] But the content I just remember like it was so encouraging for me to just study that but then also to study it in a way that was like super life giving to those who were hearing it.

[00:12:59] So those like very initial episodes and then Genesis, I just go back to it all the time.

[00:13:05] I know there's just so much in it.

[00:13:08] So I mean it sets the foundation for the rest of scripture so beautifully and there's so many doctrines that are covered.

[00:13:15] And I just you know Joseph is my man.

[00:13:19] I keep thinking about you reading this book right now that's like kind of historical fiction but it's about Joseph.

[00:13:25] And almost every day I'm like Joe Aaron needs to read this book she would just love it.

[00:13:30] Well, I saw someone the other day like post something about Joseph in like a negative way and I was like don't you talk about him like that?

[00:13:36] And then I'm like oh wait, yeah he's not Jesus. He is also flawed but don't put him in that light.

[00:13:41] Yeah so I think probably very similarly.

[00:13:44] I also really loved our like marriage episodes and like episodes we had our husbands on.

[00:13:49] And then I also really loved the question and answer like we haven't done that many of those.

[00:13:54] But the ones that we did I found it really fun and really challenging to like dig into people's questions and just getting to hear y'all who are listening like hearing what God is doing and what you're learning and being able to learn.

[00:14:05] And being able to kind of like really in a more tangible way see how God is using the podcast to help you understand more about who he is.

[00:14:15] So that was honestly probably one of my favorite parts too and it's hard it's hard to say that because you don't want to sound like prideful about it.

[00:14:24] You know like when people would say that the podcast means something to them like that can sound you know a little bit arrogant but that's not why it meant something it meant something because I love to see the way God was using it.

[00:14:36] Yeah because you don't hear a lot of that you when you're on a podcast you don't see the people listening you don't I mean you can look at numbers but you just you just don't always know so when someone does reach out and you can put a face to those numbers when you know how it how it is.

[00:14:53] It is impacting or how God is impacting lives through what we're saying like it makes it makes a difference and it's just really really cool.

[00:15:01] Oh for sure for sure yeah and then I think like I mean I've loved all our like events in worship night and all that but I think one of my favorite like memories when I think about was teaching at the Proclaim Truth Conference.

[00:15:15] I mean we love that conference for such a big fan of Angie and all that she's doing with that conference and just the chance to like do this live but also like help women to see like oh I can have these conversations.

[00:15:29] I can read God's word and not have to follow along on some specific guide but hear God's voice for myself and then talk to others about it.

[00:15:36] That was super encouraging to me and then when Mallory and Natalie came up to us after and like talked about partnering with them like and just seeing like God is so much bigger and there's no I think when we interviewed about how God is a generous God in she talked about how we have this like scarcity mentality sometimes

[00:15:54] of like well if I'm running this ministry and yours is more successful than mine. That's taking away from mine and like God has just shown me like that is not true like you should partner with women in ministry.

[00:16:04] Absolutely. Just like the gift that that has been has been like such a such a joy to me it has yeah yeah I agree.

[00:16:12] So over the last three and a half years what is a big theme or a big truth that the Lord has been teaching you?

[00:16:20] I feel like this is probably going to sound like a broken record but I think just that we need to be in the word.

[00:16:32] Because to be completely honest if you know if there's seasons where I'm not in God's word but then I'm like oh I gotta be in God's word because we're going to teach on it on the podcast then I'm like no I need to just be in God's word to be in God's word.

[00:16:46] Not just to prepare for something and it's just so important how we talked about this a little bit today at the Bible study that I'm leading is like we need to make those deposits of time with God and learning his character

[00:17:01] and learning his truths and learning the way he has called us to live so that when hardship comes we can pull on those deposits.

[00:17:09] And just if we say we love God we have to know God right we quote Jen Wilkin on that all the time like they heart cannot love what the mind does not know and so in order to know him we have to spend time with him and we have to be in the word.

[00:17:24] And not even just I mean that's my big lesson over all of this but just also the beauty in it like not seeing it as this is something I have to do.

[00:17:35] Right if I'm going to be obedient yeah but just the ways that God has taken my time in his word and then use that and me I've seen the fruit of that and whether that's being able to pray scripture over a friend you know in a hard time or being reminded of truth character trait of God in a moment where I was having doubt or weakness or fear.

[00:17:56] I think just like seeing it as beautiful and not as just duty has been probably the biggest lesson that he's been showing me through yeah of this is good.

[00:18:08] I would say for me it actually one of the biggest lessons I think comes on the heels of first Peter our first Peter study and I have John and I have edited all of our episodes and so over the last three and a half years I have relicin

[00:18:25] yeah what we've what we've talked about and sometimes it's like exactly like a week after I've just talked about it but most of the time we would record like a long time before.

[00:18:36] And so as we were editing for speeder we finished recording in like September or August and it's not November and so this is like two months after and it has been so convicting like it's always good for me to re here truth that I have said that you

[00:18:54] said you know from scripture but this one specifically has been like super convicting and I feel like it kind of wraps up this whole theme through the podcast and it's been convicting in a different way like it's not been convicting in a way of I need to do this better I need to do this better I need to do this better that's what was it first

[00:19:19] and at first as I was relicin I was like man this holy living thing like I am sucking at it for lack of better work like I'm doing a horrible job and we talk a lot about head heart hands and it's like there was this disconnect between my head and my heart and my hands

[00:19:35] and I can get it to work all together and it's you know I felt a lot like Paul you know like in Romans where he's like for I do not understand my own actions for I do not do what I want but I do the very thing I hate like that is very much how I have felt the last month or so

[00:19:52] but then I re listened through the whole book of first Peter again and was reminded that he starts with the gospel and he starts with reminding us of the truth of the gospel

[00:20:07] and I'm not going to be able to live this holy life if I don't stay in the gospel if I don't remember what the gospel is so if I don't remember who my identity is and if I don't remember that my sins are forgiven and that there is no condemnation under Christ Jesus

[00:20:28] if I'm not constantly reminded of those things then it's not true holy living like it's just me checking off a list. Yes that holy living needs to flow out of and from the truth of the gospel

[00:20:44] and so I think over the last three and a half years that's a theme that we've constantly come back to is the gospel the gospel the gospel you know whether we're talking about marriage or

[00:20:58] submitting to government authority or being humble or how we act in our homes or church governance or you know no matter what we're talking about it all comes back to the gospel

[00:21:11] and even like talk about Genesis like that's pointing to Jesus you know it all comes back to him and so kind of as we wrap up and I look at like a big theme I think for me it's that because I am a

[00:21:25] fake it till you make it kind of girl like I can I can check the boxes really well I could like cram for a test and get all the answers right the next day and get a really good GPA but then I would forget it a week later

[00:21:37] and that's not how I want to be when it comes to the word and to how I'm living my life I want it to be a genuine overflow of Jesus in me and so yeah I feel like coming out of the three and a half years

[00:21:53] that's kind of my big my big takeaway. It's good yeah it's good. Okay so let's kind of finish with this if you had to think about you know this is I feel like at the end of Paul's

[00:22:05] letter at the end of Jesus's life it's like you look to the last thing they said what was the last thing they said because shots

[00:22:13] I'm like exactly Jesus gives a great commission it's like okay this is what is super important so if you had like your last thing you wanted to say to anyone

[00:22:21] listening and we have such a like a variety of listeners so there are listeners that we will continue to talk to you know that we walk

[00:22:29] out of life with but then there's people who we haven't met there's people in different states there's people in different countries like so what would be kind of if you're like okay

[00:22:37] this is my last time I get to say something to you I want to encourage you with what oh man that feels like so much pressure and I built that up really big

[00:22:45] I think I think I would say a couple of things first of all like Aaron said like scripture so important the word like that's why we started this podcast

[00:22:55] right is to to encourage and inspire women to pursue a deep understanding of the Bible you've listened to the beginning and that truly is our heart

[00:23:05] and that's what we're passionate about so that's definitely first second would be being community it sounds weird but I mean that's honestly part of my heart

[00:23:15] and saying goodbye to the podcast is because I want to be able to be genuine face-to-face community so if you're not in a local church get into a local church I know church

[00:23:27] and it makes it hard and sometimes it's hard to heal from that but it's because there are broken people and we live in a sinful world

[00:23:39] and so even if you've been hurt get back into the local church that is what that's what God wants for you I can say that with confidence because that's what his word says

[00:23:48] so get into a church but also looking back at the last three and a half years I think the last thing I would say is just hold things with open hands

[00:24:00] when we went into the podcast we said if the Lord uses this for our sanctification only so be it of course we hoped that it would encourage an inspire woman

[00:24:10] but in that he would use it for wonderful things that we couldn't even imagine but I feel like we've held it very open handedly

[00:24:20] and I'm so thankful we have because it has allowed us to meet people and to be in places and do things that we couldn't have thought of on our own

[00:24:32] and then when he says the seasons over it makes it a lot easier so just trust him and hold things in your life with open hands

[00:24:42] and just truly give it to him and he will get all the glory and it will be good

[00:24:48] yeah let's go what about you final word I feel like I mean I feel like I would echo a lot of what you said but for the sake of not saying the same thing again

[00:24:56] I would say be humble but be bold like if you think God wants you to go invite a friend to start meeting for coffee and talk about the Bible do it

[00:25:10] even if you feel like that they're going to look at you like you're crazy do it if you feel like God is asking you to step up

[00:25:16] and be a part of the Bible study your church do it like I feel like we oftentimes err on the side of caution when for the sake of maybe false humility of like oh God can never use me

[00:25:28] God you know but I think just like just kind of what you're saying like with open-handed not only open-handed with things that he might take away

[00:25:38] but also open-handed with the things he might put in your hands

[00:25:42] that's kind of been like when we've got to teach that conferences that's kind of been our encouragement is like anyone can do this

[00:25:48] anyone can read God's word and talk about it you don't have to do a podcast but if you feel like God's telling you do it

[00:25:54] if you feel like church neighborhood invite them to your living room find someone to disciple

[00:26:00] like God can do so many beautiful things if you are like open and willing to just kind of follow where he's leading you

[00:26:08] so I'd say that's the only thing I'd really add to what you're saying but obviously I'd echo be in the Bible

[00:26:14] be in community all of that

[00:26:16] and I would say the other thing I would say is just this sounds like such a mom teacher thing to say

[00:26:22] but like keep learning because I think that's another one of the things that I didn't mention in like what has got to be teaching us through the podcast

[00:26:28] but just like buy the commentary read it

[00:26:32] like buy the hard theological doctrine book read it

[00:26:36] like keep learning because the more you learn the hungrier you are for God

[00:26:40] like I would say that is 100% true in my life as the more I learn I'm never like okay I'm satisfied with learning now

[00:26:46] I'm like no no I want more yeah so I think just continuing to feed that desire for who God is

[00:26:54] and like just do the hard thing be bold invite someone to join you

[00:27:00] keep learning yeah yeah that's good

[00:27:02] I'll do it

[00:27:04] okay so the other thing I would say I don't know if this is necessarily an encouragement but

[00:27:08] I would just want to say leave you with like thank you

[00:27:13] yeah thank you for joining us whether you joined in with the first Peter study

[00:27:18] or if you've been all the way back to our you know series on theology in the gospel three and a half years ago

[00:27:24] wherever you jumped in like it has just been such a joy for us to be able to walk through this with you

[00:27:31] and whatever capacity that has looked like from someone has come up to me at dinner before

[00:27:36] and said hey I listened to you boys like it's so good to meet you

[00:27:40] and I mean just those kind of things like it has been such a joy for us to get to discuss God's word

[00:27:46] in this format with you guys and all the shares and likes and all of that has been just an honor

[00:27:52] and a privilege that God has used it yeah true joy for sure

[00:27:56] even the people that have made fun of my accent

[00:28:02] it's been wonderful I echo everything Aaron says about that

[00:28:06] thank you so much for being here and for joining us and encouraging us and yeah

[00:28:12] you will always and forever hold a special place in our hearts

[00:28:16] and we pray that the Lord blesses you and your families

[00:28:20] so signing off for one last time

[00:28:42] and we pray for the Lord

[00:28:44] worthy to be praised

[00:28:47] sovereign over us

[00:28:50] and all I can hear it