Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] Speaker A: Welcome to the Arkansas Baptist of Women podcast. On this season we will talk about the beauty of belonging to a gospel centered like minded community that shapes and encourages us to love God and to be present in our calling.
[00:00:12] Speaker B: We are excited to sit down with different women from all stages of life and hear what God is doing in their life in an area of ministry that God has called them to join us as we find encouragement in the work and presence of God as he is reflected through casual conversation around coffee and authenticity.
[00:00:29] Speaker A: Hey, it's Morgan and Hannah and we are kicking off a new season. We are going to sit down and talk about just the season that we are currently in and just the way that God is shaping and stretching us in life.
[00:00:41] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:00:42] Speaker A: All right, so Hannah, tell us just about the season that you are currently walking in.
[00:00:50] Speaker B: Yeah, so my husband and I, we recently just moved to Conway in June. So this past summer he took the role as the BCM camp in Conway. And so we moved from northwest Arkansas to central Arkansas and we recently just bought a house. We recently found out that I'm pregnant and so just all, all the big life things, but we've been married for a little over a year now and so all, all lots of things right at once. But. But then I started this job in July so kind of, you know, just still new job, him, new job, all those kind of fun transition things. But yeah, that's kind of where we're at.
[00:01:30] Speaker A: Yes. Okay, and tell us what you are doing and then what Thomas is doing weekly.
[00:01:37] Speaker B: Yeah, so I here at the Arkansas Baptist State Convention my title is ministry coordinator and really that means I just help with events that the evangelism and church health team puts on. So like women's events or super summer or lead to fin. I get to just help be a part of each of those things which is a lot of fun and really exciting. And then Thomas with the BCM they have a weekly service that they do on Monday nights. But then outside of that there's just so many different things that he could be doing. He sometimes is Speaking@d nows or sometimes is speaking at a church on Sunday or we're having people over for dinner or we're hanging out with college students. So just our week to week can look kind of crazy. But we also are like connected into our church and go to a small group every week. And so there's like some consistency there and stuff too. But yeah, so it's a fun scene season so far.
[00:02:32] Speaker A: Yeah, that's awesome.
[00:02:34] Speaker B: What about for you?
[00:02:35] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, I would Say the season of life that we're in right now is just transition. You know, moving into this new job was just a huge transition. It's been so good and so fun. But Luke and I, we've got two daughters, Lane, Ellen and Kate. And so they're at just very transitional ages to kindergarten. One that is getting acclimated and accustomed to just a eight hour day school schedule five days a week. And then I've got second grader who is just in the thick of just trying to master skills of just reading and writing, you know. And so then just our home has just been in transition. Not just with like job in life, but we all. We've also been in the middle of a remodel and so. Yes, so we're coming to the end of that. But I feel like our season right now is just a lot of just taking every day just with our next best step. Yeah, yeah.
[00:03:39] Speaker B: Both of us kind of in seasons of transition.
[00:03:41] Speaker A: Yes, yes.
Yeah. Okay, so tell us right now, what is something fun about ministry?
[00:03:49] Speaker B: I think in this role I'm still like learning a lot of it and still learning what each event needs and what of each, what each event like takes to make it happen. But I think like something that's exciting is a lot of the events are starting to happen though. And so like we just had one for women's this past weekend and then Le Defend is coming up and then super summer's in the summer and we're kicking off explore your calls across the state. So there's just a lot of fun things that are happening. And so one, it's okay first time being involved and seeing how those go. But then two, like just building those rapport and meeting people and like all that kind of stuff. So it's all just new and fresh I would say is. So that's, that's where it makes it fun. But then also getting to see like the fruit from it and stuff like that too. What about for you?
[00:04:37] Speaker A: That's good. I would say the fun thing about ministry right now, you know, I live so much in just a very narrow local church context for a long time that I completely loved and just grew in and just saw God do just incredible things just within the body of our church. But now seeing ministry on a much broader spectrum and seeing just this collective work across our state has been just really fun and invigorating, I guess is the right word to me. And for me just brings a lot of energy that we often can get very narrowed just with like our same audience. Our same rhythms. But then to look around and to get to partner with other churches across the state have been so, so much fun.
[00:05:26] Speaker B: Yeah. And like also formerly being at a local church context, like it is different now this side, you just collaborate in such a different way than before, which is. So that's like. Does get to be like a fun part. And like you're asking like we're hosting events at other people's places and just stuff like that. Like that's fun. You're just getting to meet people in a different way.
[00:05:47] Speaker A: Yes. Yeah, so true. Okay, so the fun part of it. But now what is one of the challenging parts of ministry right now for you?
[00:05:57] Speaker B: I think maybe what would be challenging is that I'm still like learning the role and learning events and learning those kind of things. And so I think like, yes, there's new and exciting and it's fresh. I think that also is like, it can be a challenge because it is just like, okay, this is the first time that I'm getting eyes on this. What has been done before, what hasn't been done before, Just those kind of things. But then it's a lot of just like learning and growing and just being. Trying to be a sponge for every single one. So what is the fun thing is also kind of the challenging thing at the same time, but it's like a fun challenge, if that makes sense.
[00:06:32] Speaker A: Yes.
Yeah. No, I would say pretty much the exact same thing that you were saying. It's funny because you and I, what we came on like six months apart or.
[00:06:42] Speaker B: Yeah, something like that.
[00:06:43] Speaker A: Yes. And so, yeah, being very new to what seems like a very firsthand work. You know, obviously it's been going on for years, this team and the convention has been established for so long and I've known of it and we've had a partnership with it just through our church, but for what seems like very like first time introduction to some of these events, it's just taken time. So it is challenging in a way as we form those relationships. But what I feel like is so challenging to me right now is just balance.
[00:07:18] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah.
[00:07:19] Speaker A: Like trying to figure out and really just it's in life across the board, but especially just in this ministry role is just, it's so relational. Like this collaborative work that you're talking about being with people. But then also there is a planning and strategic side to it also, you know that you've got to sit and really come up, pray through and think about just the felt needs of what a church needs or is looking for. And so I feel like just how to balance my time, you know, and how to rightly just the moments of my days doing what, you know. So, yeah, I would feel like, I feel like that's a little bit of a challenge trying to narrow that down right now.
[00:08:01] Speaker B: And that's gonna take time, navigating that. But like you said, both so new. So we'll figure it out.
[00:08:08] Speaker A: Yes, yes, yes. Okay, think about this. Who is someone that spurs you on or inspires you just in relationship with the Lord, just in your calling?
[00:08:21] Speaker B: Yeah, I, when thinking about this, I kind of thought of like two people in different ways, but they're married, so it's like kind of like fun that they both kind of get a say in this. But when I worked at Cross Church, my boss was Luke Harper, and he's now a senior pastor in Florida. But from a ministry standpoint, like, anything I've ever learned is like, because of him.
And he, like, him and his wife just took me into their home and they became like my best friends and just became my family. But so, like, one side of that is like a work side of like learning leadership skills and learning how to lead a team, how to cast a vision, how to handle hard conversations with volunteers, how to like, walk with college students through really hard things. Like, I just got to learn a lot of like, tactical and practical things from him and he just called me higher in a lot of ways and just, just led me really well in a lot of ways. But on the flip side of that, then his family became my family and his wife ended up, like, discipling me for years. She was my maid of honor in my wedding. He married us, and so they just became like close, close, close people. So on the flip side of that then, like, I got to watch how she's a wife and I got to watch how she's a mom and how Kelsey, how she like invited people into her home and how she had college students into her home and while having a full time job, still ministered in that way to people and just partnered really well with Luke and so got to watch so many different facets. And so I would say, like, they both, in different ways, but also together got to watch and also like, got to watch him be like a dad and a husband and stuff like that too. Like, I had my own shelf in their pantry for my own food. I love it that I would leave at their house sometimes without not them knowing. I would just like pull out a snack sometimes that they'd be like, where did you get This I was like, I left it last time I was here.
[00:10:16] Speaker A: That's great.
[00:10:17] Speaker B: But. And so like, it's kind of sad, like we live so far away now. But.
But I would say like they both still like call them like all the time or like text them all the time and stuff like that. So I would say like both of them in like different, like, practical ways. But yeah, I would say like Luke and Kelsey Harper. What about for you? Good.
[00:10:37] Speaker A: I would say. I just, I feel like there's just a wide, just community of people that spur me on, that inspire me. But one. But currently in this particular season that I've been in for a little bit, it's just my friend Jamie. She is a few years older than I am, but just her.
Just her desire and her mission just to be a part of whatever God's doing in her present like, moment or life. She's a school teacher and so just to hear her just talk and pray over her students in what would be considered a pretty dark place.
But also just the way that she is so available just to serve her family and to serve the church, she is just what I would consider a pretty risky person. And so she's taught me that risk are okay. And in fact, it's when you really get to step in and just trust God with your next best. Yes. And so she's challenged me and just inspired me on and just encouraged me that way. But also I would say, you know, going back to what you were kind of speaking on, just about someone who's helped and developed you just as a leader that's poured into you, I would say that would be what. Who is now our senior pastor at our church, Clay. He was our next gen pastor for years and he just poured so much of just his.
Just his time and heart into form. Just my heart and call to ministry. And a lot of that was just casual conversation. You know, he just modeled the life of Jesus and just lived out the word.
And so I would say that as you were sitting there talking about just someone who has just been that person just to encourage you and push you on into new seasons of ministry. Definitely him. And then I would say someone that spurs me on and encourages me would probably just be my husband.
Just getting to walk in just like this, a new transition, a new season, and to know that just his blessing of it, but also his prayer for it and just his excitement to see, you know, God do exciting things through, you know, a new season, new role. So. Yeah, that's cool. Yeah, that's good.
Okay.
Last what? And this is gonna be funny or it could be not funny, it could be serious.
What is something the listeners might not know about you?
[00:13:17] Speaker B: I think this is like one of the things I get, like the biggest gasp from, especially women from, is that I don't like chocolate. I just, I never really have. I will eat a chocolate chip cookie. I make brownies. Cause my husband likes brownies. And so I've kind of learned how to like tolerate them. Cause I need to make sure my recipe is good and stuff like that. But other than that, like chocolate ice cream is a no go. Like chocolate candy. M&MS. Like none of that. So maybe that's something people may not know about me.
[00:13:50] Speaker A: That is so funny.
Yeah, I. Well, I enjoy chocolate, I like chocolate, I like all kinds of sweets.
But something that the listeners might not know about me is that after, when I was in college or even like growing up, like, and on into college, I was like, I took all of my early classes. I wanted to get them out of the way. I was up in the mornings, I was ready to go. I did a lot in college, even my study times and my study groups. I would rather meet in the morning than late at night.
But then I got married and had kids. And what my kids have done to me, I guess, is that I am not a morning person. Oh.
[00:14:44] Speaker B: So it flipped.
[00:14:45] Speaker A: It flipped. But this season of life, and it's been kind of like in the making for months now that I know that my best time to give to the Lord and really for myself is in the morning. And so I have kind of tried to like move back to that. And so I think a lot of people naturally think, like as a mom, like you get up early, you know, or you're up in the morning. But no. So something that might be shocking is that I would rather not get up in the morning. Or if I do, it's a slow. Like I get up. If I'm getting up at like 6, it's a slow rise. And then like I'll get started like 7:30, you know.
[00:15:26] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:15:27] Speaker A: Where before it was like, if I could get up and get going, like I would do that and then just kind of like lounge, go to bed early in the evening. And it's kind of flipped.
[00:15:36] Speaker B: But that's so interesting how kids can do that.
[00:15:40] Speaker A: I'm like, I don't know if it's because I'm just exhausted all the time, you know. But yeah, I'll get up with them, kind of get them like going and getting them ready. But I Wouldn't say, like, I'm up and ready myself, you know, so that is something that just my. I mean, my discipleship group, like, my good friends, they know that that is one thing of area focus that I am hoping to turn the boat in.
[00:16:05] Speaker B: Because I am such a morning person. So now I'm like, oh, is this baby kind of like, don't let it do it.
[00:16:12] Speaker A: Yeah, don't let it do it. No, keep getting up.
[00:16:15] Speaker B: Keep. Keep trying. Keep trying. It's gonna be interesting to begin with, but that. I haven't heard that. So now I'm like, mental note. Like, my schedule, obviously my schedule is gonna change, but that could change a little bit.
[00:16:26] Speaker A: And my girls were such good sleepers. Like, they would sleep until 8 and, you know, they didn't get a preschool until, like, 9:30. So we had, you know, a lot of time. So when they were sleeping, I was sleeping. And we just got in this rhythm of not, like, just sleeping.
Or I would get up and again, like, it would be. I'm a slow riser. I want to get up. I want to get my coffee. Yes, I'll look out the windows. You know, we're in a subdivision right now where there's a back phase going on. And so I'm constantly just looking out there, looking at the construction. Yeah, what are they building today? What new dump truck is coming in? You know, all of those things, but. Okay. Awesome. Well, it's been fun getting to sit down, kind of share our stories. Just seasonal life that we're in. And then just in the coming weeks, we get to sit down with other women who are also just going to share their story and just the calling that God's placed on their life and just the mission that's in front of them.
[00:17:21] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:17:22] Speaker A: Awesome. Good. Okay. Well, we will see you next time.
