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[00:00:17] The Missional Life - Dan: All right, welcome back to Mission Life Podcast. Today we are thrilled to have Rachel Adams with us. Rachel is a Christian author, host of the Love Offering Podcast, and known for her mission to help women embrace their significance and God's love. Her latest devotional, Everyday Prayers for Love, equips readers with tools to love God, others, and themselves in practical ways.

[00:00:36] The Missional Life - Dan: Rachel, welcome to the show.

[00:00:38] Rachael Adams: Welcome. Thanks. Thanks for having me. It's a joy to be here.

[00:00:42] The Missional Life - Dan: Absolutely. Hey, let's just kick things off by exploring what inspired your new devotional, Everyday Prayers for Love, and how did the project come to life?

[00:00:51] Rachael Adams: Yeah, , it's actually been quite a long journey in the very beginning when I first met Jesus as my Lord and Savior, honestly, my salvation moment was because I was just scared to go to hell, if I'm being honest.

[00:01:03] Rachael Adams: And so it's taken me the rest of my life since then to really learn of his love and to grow in my relationship with him. I have a son who's 16 years ago, I started to read the Bible all the way through. It was the first time I'd ever done that because he would not go in his crib. And so I would hold him all day, every day, Pretty much.

[00:01:24] Rachael Adams: And so when he was napping, I would just go to God's word. And I started to realize that he is my heavenly father. And as I was holding my son and learning how to become a mother, I really believed that God was teaching me about him and his love as my father. And he was holding me in that moment. And so that was a really marked moment in my life with him.

[00:01:44] Rachael Adams: I started to really get involved in church. Started to serve quite a bit. And there was one particular Sunday morning that I was sitting in a church pew and I saw a love offering envelope in front of me. I go to a pretty traditional church and typically those envelopes are for monetary giving. But in that moment, I sensed the Lord saying, Rachel, you are my love offering.

[00:02:09] Rachael Adams: I've given you my love. So how are you going to give my love to the world around you? And honestly, I struggle with insecurity and inadequacy and doubt my talents and giftings, even though I know better because I know what my identity is in Christ, but I still can doubt my value and my worth. And so I thought, you know, Lord, I, I don't know, I don't know how I'm living out the greatest commandment to love the Lord God with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love my neighbor as myself.

[00:02:36] Rachael Adams: And so I was having this conversation with some friends and family members. And one specific friend said, what have you just really started to ask other people, because I don't think you're the only one, you know, we're all struggling to live out our, our faith. In ordinary everyday ways. And we doubt our contributions.

[00:02:53] Rachael Adams: And so it was just that conversation with a friend. I downloaded a podcasting app and started to have those conversations with friends and neighbors, and now I'm into the seventh year of my podcast. And so as I was having these conversations and dealing with this tension in my own life. I realized that there is so much more to it.

[00:03:12] Rachael Adams: And so I thought maybe I could write about it too. And so that was really the, the first inspiration to start living it out myself and then Podcasting about it and interviewing other people and then now a book that relates to the same topic

[00:03:27] The Missional Life - Dan: You said something there about knowing your identity, but doubting and I think that's true of so many people In life that we often know something deep down but we have moments of doubt don't we and so I think it's really important to make that distinction that we can we can know something and that can be like the foundation But we can go through those seasons where we doubt or those momentary things and I think it's important to separate those because you're not fully in doubt of who you are, but you have those moments so One of the things I was wondering too is along the writing process journey

[00:04:03] The Missional Life - Dan: was there any kind of surprise that you had along the way as you were writing this book?

[00:04:08] Rachael Adams: I do have a really beautiful full circle moment. I have a lot of those as I'm sure you all do. And many of the listeners where, you know, I hear those, the still small voice of the Lord whisper to my heart, and then you kind of act on that.

[00:04:22] Rachael Adams: And then it doesn't happen in the way or the time or you know, as fast as you think that it should, you know, like, well, Lord, if I heard you, then this should have transpired. Right. And so actually I, I went to a writer's conference almost six years ago. And pitched a book on the love offering this, this idea and the acquisitions editor that I met there, she didn't like the concept at all.

[00:04:46] Rachael Adams: She didn't like me at all. And so honestly, I went up to my room after that meeting and I contemplated packing my suitcase and going home. Cause I thought clearly, Lord, I didn't hear you correctly, but I, as the Lord led and I'm so thankful that he did. I turned on my worship music and there's a singer named Lauren Daigle.

[00:05:06] Rachael Adams: And she has a song that's called you say, and it says, I keep fighting voices in my mind that tell me I'm not enough, but no God, you say, and it starts to list all those words of affirmation of our identity. So I ended up staying. And the reason I tell you that backstory is because then I started the podcast and I actually interviewed the woman that is now my agent and she, I pitched her the same idea.

[00:05:32] Rachael Adams: And she said, I just, I just don't think this is it. You need to work on something else. I'm like, no, I really feel like the Lord told me this was the message. But it was like, he was just pushing pause on it and some closing the door on it. And then last year I actually had a woman approach me. And she has a whole series of books on everyday prayers for all the fruit of the spirit.

[00:05:54] Rachael Adams: And because she knew me and we have a personal relationship and and because I have the love offering podcast, she said, would you be interested in writing the one on love? And it was like, the Lord was just saying, here it is six years later, you did hear me. And you did obey and you were patient and here's the book.

[00:06:13] Rachael Adams: And so actually the book that I pitched all those years ago, I actually use the same exact outline, many of the same stories and it's better now than it would have been had I released it six years prior. And so I guess the reason I tell that story is just to encourage everyone listening. To listen to God's voice, write it down.

[00:06:32] Rachael Adams: Don't let one person's comment or opinion of you contradict and cause you to stop and get you defeated to, to stop doing what God has clearly called you to do. It just may happen in a lot longer time and in a different way.

[00:06:49] The Missional Life - Dan: Yeah. It's so important as we go to live that missional life or , that God driven life that we hear the voices here first of all and then we are obedient and we we act on what he says But sometimes when we act it takes a little bit longer and sometimes we really try to push we try to push we try to push And we meet resistance and sometimes that's the enemy and sometimes it's not Quite the right time, but in our own lives, we've just experienced when when it's God There's it doesn't mean it's easy but it seems like the door is just naturally open and it just kind of comes to you And then you look and you're like wow, this is this is what God was speaking many years ago to your point and Now it's just coming to pass and look how much easier it is that he just opened the door versus us Just pushing pushing pushing pushing So

[00:07:36] Rachael Adams: I would love to know, this is, this is the podcaster in me, but I would love to know when you all first heard the still small voice of the Lord for you to, to live on mission like you are.

[00:07:48] Rachael Adams: And then did God speak to you at the same time or, or did it take a little while for you all to get into unity?

[00:07:57] The Missional Life - Amanda: Hmm. I think for me, I was about 10 years old and My heart was really always to help people like encourage them, help them feel better. And so I have a background as a registered nurse.

[00:08:10] The Missional Life - Amanda: So that's what I did in the States for many years. And, , I think that time taught me how to love unconditionally even amidst people going through really challenging situations and even. Having to put my own emotions aside at times and, you know, just really putting my value in who I am and not how my day went all the time.

[00:08:36] The Missional Life - Amanda: But yeah, that was a main part of our focus when we got married was Dan always wanted to, and I'll let you jump in, he always wanted to live overseas at some point. He had an experience that just really tugged at his heart at a young age for just helping people that needed to hear the gospel who were in very poverty stricken situations.

[00:08:58] The Missional Life - Dan: Yeah, mine is a little bit different where I was an exchange student in high school, so I spent some time overseas we had hosted an exchange student as a family, and then in college I did a program where we went around the entire world on a ship, and so so we spent a hundred days circumnavigating the world and I remember I was out in the middle of the rainforest in the Amazon jungle and we're on this like little boat and we're piranha fishing like you do in the Amazon jungle and and I just remember the storm was blowing in and we had done some ministry kind of some different outreach events that day and I remember Just being with being among some of the the locals there and I remember being out on this boat and the storm was blowing in I looked and I just was pondering the strength of God the just magnificent magnificence of God And I just I heard it all but audibly like this is what I've called you to nations are what I've called you to And so from that point, it's just been okay like God looking for those opportunities and there's been some, some doors that have opened very easily where God had been some that we've, you know, yeah, ask, seek, not concept.

[00:10:06] The Missional Life - Dan: And there's been times where you ask you seek and you knock and okay that's not the right door, much to your point where, where it when it was God, and when it was God's timing because both of those need to come, come together.

[00:10:18] Right.

[00:10:19] The Missional Life - Dan: It then there's this, there's an ease. It doesn't mean it's easy, but there's a natural ease to it.

[00:10:25] The Missional Life - Dan: And so back to you , with writing this book, , when was it that you began to? Focus on love because that seemed to be a topic that God has been speaking to your heart for quite some time Tell us a little bit more about that in your own life

[00:10:40] Rachael Adams: Yeah, you know, I think it's just because of human relationships and I I you know I have wonderful parents and siblings and friends and my husband my children, you know So I have great examples of people that have loved me.

[00:10:52] Rachael Adams: Well But as we all know the human love has failed us And human love is conditional And so I think I think it just, I'm trying to understand that God's love is unfailing and is unconditional. I just was struggling with that. And so actually got out a Bible and started to highlight all of the times that it mentioned the term love in scripture.

[00:11:20] Rachael Adams: And there are over 686 times. That it mentions the term and so you know, that was kind of the beginning of like my trying to feel loved and love myself, you know, I think there's an aspect of that to like, sometimes I don't even like myself, you know, we're, we can be our, some of our worst critics the way, cause we see.

[00:11:40] Rachael Adams: Every mistake we know, every thought we know, every sin, you know, the shame and the guilt that we can carry. And so I know that has always been a struggle for me. And so just wanting to feel God's love apart from what I've done and, and, and what I will do, and then wanting other people to experience that too, because, because I mean, The, some of the very last words that Jesus says was the greatest commandment.

[00:12:03] Rachael Adams: And so I thought, how am I actually doing that in my ordinary everyday life? Am I, I mean, that's why we're here. And so if we're not doing that well, then, then are, are, are we being obedient? And, and one day I do want to hear well done, good and faithful servant. I want to do what he has for me to do here.

[00:12:22] Rachael Adams: And so it's just been that kind of process of seeking that out. And, and honestly, you know, we can look at. Honestly, people like you, you all and be like, well, they're living on mission and they're traveling around the world and they're doing all these big glamorous, awesome things. And I'm like here, you know, in my same old community and a little town in Kentucky, like, what am I doing?

[00:12:45] Rachael Adams: You know? And does it matter as much as what they're doing? Like comparison can just really wreak havoc on us as well. Comparison with other people and even comparison to what we used to do in previous seasons, you know? And so it's, it's just been. That kind of attention and wrestling with God and just going to his scripture and, and, and just having faith in his word and trusting that it's true.

[00:13:08] The Missional Life - Amanda: I just want to go back and speak to what you shared about comparison and, , us , living out of country, out of the United States and, you know, you saying, no, I live in a small town in Kentucky, , I've just really feel like everyone is planted, , needs to be planted where God has them.

[00:13:27] The Missional Life - Amanda: I just want to encourage listeners on here, like. Jesus said, go ye therefore into the world. Well, guess what? Wherever you're standing on is the world. So if it is to your next door neighbor, , if it's go to their door, if it's invite someone to church, to an event invite someone into your home, , those are all ways that we can live on mission and show people God's love.

[00:13:50] The Missional Life - Amanda: In that way, but I think in any space, you know, even when you're in a space that you can like for Dan and I, you know, being in ministry down here in Belize, , we could compare ourselves with other people who might have a different ministry than us and say, Oh, man. Like look at all that they're doing.

[00:14:09] The Missional Life - Amanda: And they're truly

[00:14:11] The Missional Life - Dan: out in the bush, you know, like we, yeah. So, you know, it gets in slivery slope, right?

[00:14:16] The Missional Life - Amanda: Yeah. And it's just, it goes back to really obeying what God has for you to do what you said, hearing, , well done, good and faithful servant. , He will meet with each of us individually, not as a collective group.

[00:14:28] The Missional Life - Amanda: , we won't have a top of the class, top of the graduating class when we get to, , get to that point in time, , when that time comes, but just in responding to God's love for us. , what would you say is the largest inhibitor of people receiving and truly knowing God's love or the top three that you've seen a huge trend within ?

[00:14:50] Rachael Adams: Yeah, I think, well, I'm thinking of a story. So my very first Valentine, it was in middle school and I gave him a mixed tape that I created. So that ages my, me a little bit. And he gave me this red foil box of chocolates and he hands it to me and I open it up and it's empty and he, he says, I'm so sorry.

[00:15:16] Rachael Adams: I ate, I ate a few. I'm like, well, no kidding. So needless to say, that relationship did not last long. But I think that's just such a picture of so many of our relationships. You know, we go so. Seeking relationships with other people and accomplishments and things like with our, with our box, our heart shaped box or our hearts.

[00:15:35] Rachael Adams: And like, will you fill me up? Will you make me feel validated? Will you make me feel affirmed? And, and human beings were never made to do that. And, and so I think we're going to all the wrong places and the wrong things looking for what only God can give us. And because he, he will never leave us empty.

[00:15:53] Rachael Adams: He has he's living water and he's always going to, to fill us up. Of course it's, it's our daily bread, right? So we have to continue to keep, keep going to him. And so I think that that is one of the biggest reasons is we're, we're going to the wrong place. But I do think that sometimes God can feel intangible.

[00:16:11] Rachael Adams: You know, he, he is invisible. So to speak, you know, it is, it is. Faith that he is present and, and, and just having a belief that what he says in his word is true, but at the same time, people are his hands and feet. We are the tangible reminders of God's love. And so for many of us, if we haven't received love from other people, maybe you're, earthly father didn't treat you well, or didn't love you well, as you needed to be loved.

[00:16:40] Rachael Adams: Then we equate that with our heavenly father. And so I do think it's, it's very much our earthly experiences that have left us feeling unloved and empty instead of just going to our heavenly father and having faith and belief in him.

[00:16:56] The Missional Life - Dan: So a lot of us , at times, you know, struggle with those feelings of not being worthy or not feeling worthy of God's love and so how would you encourage a listener that's feeling that way and I guess I just was wondering what are some practical steps that listeners can do on a daily basis to more embrace that love that god has given us so freely.

[00:17:19] Rachael Adams: Yeah, I think The verse that comes to mind is that while we were still sinners christ died for us And he knew we needed a savior. He knew we couldn't do it on our own I mean, that's the whole story of scripture people We're faithless and failed and God rescued them and redeemed them and called them and continue to forgive them.

[00:17:41] Rachael Adams: And he, he does the same thing for us. And I'm also thinking about Peter and, you know, when you're in, in the gospels and Peter, Has this conversation with him, with Jesus. And basically he's like, I'll never deny you. But what does he do? He denies him three times, right? When Jesus needed him the most, but when Jesus comes back after he's been resurrected, he goes back to Peter and he makes him breakfast.

[00:18:06] Rachael Adams: And he has this conversation with him and he says, do you love me? And Peter says, of course I love you. And he says, well, do you really love me? He's like, well, of course I do. And he does that three times. And I think that's just such a beautiful, I'm encouraged by that relationship because Peter saw Jesus face to face.

[00:18:23] Rachael Adams: I mean, they were, they were friends. They lived life together and he still rejected and betrayed his savior and, and failed and, and yet Jesus still pursued him. And, and forgave him and wanted a relationship with him. And then we see then after that, Peter going on to be the rock of the church. And so I think that that gives me so much hope for myself and for, for all of us, that God is going to continue to forgive us.

[00:18:51] Rachael Adams: You look at even Adam and Eve in the beginning, you know, they, they ate of the fruit and sin and that sin separated them from God, but God continued to pursue them. And so he is going to continue to pursue us no matter what we've done.

[00:19:06] The Missional Life - Dan: Oh, good. As you were talking about that story, it just, it's such a powerful story of, Jesus restoring Peter and that, that relationship. And yet if you look a little bit deeper, I feel like there's some different meanings they're kind of talking some different love. Can you speak to that?

[00:19:23] Rachael Adams: Yeah, no, I'm, I'm glad you brought that up. Because you're exactly right. And I think what's, what's interesting about our English language is like, I can say, I love God.

[00:19:33] Rachael Adams: I love my husband. I love my children. I love my dogs. I love coffee. I love chocolate. I love shopping. I love warm weather. You know, like we can use that same word love for all of those things. But the way I love my coffee versus the way I love God is very different. Right. And so. So the, the original Greek and Hebrew language, there's different words for love.

[00:19:57] Rachael Adams: There's a, there's a godly love, which is agape, the sacrificial, holy, pure perfect love that only God can give us. And then there's a family love. There's a friendship love. There's a more of a romantic love. And so they do have different terms for that word. And so like you're talking about, he's, he's, he eventually gets to that.

[00:20:17] Rachael Adams: That friendship, or I'm sorry, he gets to that, like a gap, a love, the love, the only God can, can give and can, he fills us with this Holy spirit as believers to experience that kind of love that he can do in and through us. And so when we look at the first Corinthians 13, four through eight, love is patient.

[00:20:36] Rachael Adams: Love is kind. It doesn't envy. It doesn't boast, et cetera. It's talking about that. A gap, a love when it says God is love, it's talking about that. A gap, a love is so much different and so much deeper. And so many of the things that other loves that we're talking about

[00:20:52] The Missional Life - Dan: in your book. You talk about three different ways of loving , we love god We love others and we love ourselves and i'm thinking that God gave us those commands, right?

[00:21:01] The Missional Life - Dan: He said love the lord your god with all your heart with all your soul with all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself And so he covers all of those and so we've talked about loving god But what about loving our our neighbors and sometimes that's really hard sometimes it's really difficult.

[00:21:16] The Missional Life - Dan: Sometimes our, our, our neighbors are impatient, or they say some wrong things to us or about us. They're they could be a co worker they can be whatever tell us some ways that we can practically love our neighbor as ourselves and then About even loving ourselves because sometimes that doesn't even seem right does it like we're supposed to love ourselves Wait, is that really scriptural?

[00:21:38] The Missional Life - Dan: Can you share us what you've found and uncovered in your in your research for the for your book?

[00:21:44] Rachael Adams: So you're right loving yourself. I think can come across And, and, and can come across very like, like yourself, you're glorifying yourself. And I think we've got to be careful that that isn't what we're doing, that that's not our heart motivation, that it's all about us and our needs and almost building a tower of babble for ourselves because we love ourselves and think so highly of ourselves.

[00:22:07] Rachael Adams: But I think. What it really means is more of a humble posture is I love myself because I know I'm created in God's image and because I love God and I believe I'm his workmanship that I was fearfully and wonderfully made, knit together in my mother's womb and that God doesn't make mistakes, that he has a purpose for me, then I can love myself when I see myself in light of who he is.

[00:22:32] Rachael Adams: I think we have to start there because if we're going to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. so much for joining us. Well, if we're not loving ourselves well and not treating ourselves well and not valuing ourselves, then we're not going to value and treat the people around us. Well, so I wanted to start there.

[00:23:00] Rachael Adams: You have to see yourself rightly first in order to love the people around you. And I really believe that. God has just expanded our neighborhoods. I mean, the reality is you and I, I mean, we're, we're talking right now. I mean, you're in Belize, I'm in Kentucky because of technology and how wonderful is that?

[00:23:20] Rachael Adams: So I must view you all as my neighbor because we're face to face. We're talking, we're having an interaction, we're having an encounter. And so we can be, your neighbor can be all the way around the world. I know we, my family, we support compassion children. Through Compassion International. And so, you know, that's, we're, we're, we're becoming close.

[00:23:40] Rachael Adams: We're knit, we're, we're woven together into the fabric of one another's lives. But so I think it really is, who is it that you're on the phone with? Who are you face to face with? Whether it's the, at the grocery store, at the post office, at a ball game at church, or is it. Your husband that is right next to you, you know your children, your, or your actual, the actual person that's right next door.

[00:24:02] Rachael Adams: And so I think whoever God has you next to, that person has some kind of need, some kind of burden at the root of all of us. I think we just want to be seen, known and loved for who we are. I think that it's true for, for every single person that you're going to encounter. And so the prayer, I think every day is Lord helped me to see people the way that you see them.

[00:24:26] Rachael Adams: Give me your eyes to see them that way and to be sensitive to your Holy Spirit's leading. To meet the needs that they may have, it may be a physical need. So food or shelter or clothing, it could be maybe an emotional or a mental need or spiritual need. Do I need to share a Bible verse? Do I need to share some worship music?

[00:24:48] Rachael Adams: Do I need to give them a Bible? Do I need to invite them to church? Do I maybe just need to invite them to coffee because they're lonely or ask them into our home to share a meal or take a meal to, to them. And so I think it looks very different. It could just be. Be Calling somebody on the phone that comes to your mind or praying for them.

[00:25:07] Rachael Adams: You know, I think we sometimes even discount that the value in praying for somebody, and they may never even know that you did, but you could take the second step and text them and just say, Hey, I just wanted, you know, that God placed you on my heart and I'm praying for you. Is there anything special?

[00:25:20] Rachael Adams: Specific, I can pray for you for every little thing we do is going to go a long way for, for God and for his glory. He's going to take it a long way. So the key for me, I think is just to be sensitive to his spirit, to be willing to say yes to however he's leading. And it may feel small, may feel like it doesn't matter in the big scheme of things, but I believe God's going to use it all.

[00:25:42] The Missional Life - Amanda: Yeah. Good friend of mine. We're actually just talking this week about. You know, just that the balancing of time, , being moms, , all the responsibilities that we have outside of our family and just different things. And, , she was reminding me of the story of, , the widow that gave what she had, , and it seemed insignificant, but how Jesus used that.

[00:26:03] The Missional Life - Amanda: So, , if you're in a season where it might feel insignificant or, , again, it's just shifting our focus. Like what does significant really mean in God's kingdom? You know, . It can be Any, all of the things that you just shared, , and they're all so important, , whether you're affecting 10 people, 100 people, or just the one person, , going after the one, , and even Jesus himself talks about that going after the one lost sheep, , to leave the 99.

[00:26:33] The Missional Life - Amanda: , , and then even affecting one person like that, how many people will they then impact from that experience or that connection, , and hopefully if they don't know Jesus yet, then hopefully that sets them on the path to meeting Jesus ultimately, , is the goal of, you know, sharing God's love with people and, , just so well said, , all those things are just.

[00:26:53] The Missional Life - Amanda: It's part of doing life. It's part of being in community. And, , again, that's just, we need each other so much. I think, , we all remember, gosh, it's been five years ago since COVID, , shut the world down for a bit. And we all found out how isolating that became very quickly and, , just , intentionally.

[00:27:17] The Missional Life - Amanda: Making sure we're meeting together with people on a regular basis at a, , healthy church body and having coffee with a friend, just being in that, that godly community and encouraging each other.

[00:27:32] The Missional Life - Dan: What are some things that you do in your own life , on a daily basis? I mean, cause so many people get up. And the first thing that happens is you're attacked with thoughts of negativity, .

[00:27:43] The Missional Life - Dan: And you're carrying those failures or carrying those past situations into the new day. And all of a sudden, it's really hard to love yourself. And, if you're not loving yourself, it's hard to love your neighbor. And sometimes it's, , those things are out of order.

[00:27:54] The Missional Life - Dan: It can be, man, I'm really having a hard time with this. Being loved or loving God or you just kind of feel unworthy. So what are some different things that you do when you get up that you can begin to live these things out in an everyday way?

[00:28:09] Rachael Adams: Yeah, I. I don't do this perfectly. I want to be really honest about that.

[00:28:13] Rachael Adams: Like my daughter, even several years ago, she said, mom, for you to be the host of the love offering podcast, you're not acting very loving today. I just want to give that caveat that I, this, this is coming as a fellow Person on a journey with you as I'm sharing these things, but, you know, I think we have to spend time in God's word.

[00:28:32] Rachael Adams: We have to spend time communing with him in prayer and in conversation with him throughout our days. Worship music is really important to me to kind of center My heart and in my mind on him scripture memorization, you know, as you're going about your day and you're in, you're not, you don't have your Bible in hand, but you know, if there's some sort of conflict or you're feeling anxious about something for there to be a verse that, you know, That can come to your mind at just the right time.

[00:29:00] Rachael Adams: So I think community just surrounding myself with, I have, you know, my husband really great friends. I go to church on Sundays. I lead a Bible study with, with my, with women on, on Thursdays. So I think just having good friendships that can encourage me and pray for me are just all really essential.

[00:29:20] Rachael Adams: I have talking about, it's not just me giving love to other people. It's me receiving love from other people. People love me so well. I know I was six several years ago and was in bed for almost six weeks and couldn't do any of my normal day to day activities that I normally do to try to love others.

[00:29:40] Rachael Adams: Well, you know just even little things like doing the laundry for my family or cooking meals for my family. I couldn't do any of those things. Yeah. To even write, taking my kids to their practices or to school. And, but the people, my church family surrounded me so well, giving us meals and gift cards and praying for us and bringing blankets and socks and books and movies and taking my kids to their special places.

[00:30:06] Rachael Adams: just that, again, that tangible reminder of, of people loving me, well, just texting me to, to check on me or just coming to sit with me to watch a movie. Just was so valuable and it was such a reminder of the beautiful community that God's given me. So I think there is that we need both. We need to, to learn to give that love and we need to learn to receive that love.

[00:30:26] Rachael Adams: And so I think, I hope those are some practical things. I, as you all were talking. There's a story about Billy Graham and he, as he reflected on his life, he said he would have accomplished so much more if he would have spent less time on the stage preaching and more time on his knees in prayer and in scripture.

[00:30:43] Rachael Adams: And so I think, yes, we can, you know, be busy. We, you know, we, we want to. You know, faith without works is dead. I do believe that we've got to, we've got to have an active faith, but I think we all also can sometimes discount, you know, reading, reading your Bible and praying is one of the best things that you can do.

[00:31:02] Rachael Adams: And so when we pray to an audience of one, he can reach the heart of millions. He can do so much more than we ever can on our own.

[00:31:09] The Missional Life - Amanda: Yeah, that's so good. , even, , speaking from a physical sense, , our hearts are, , largest muscle in the body, you know, pumps blood to everywhere else that's needed, but it still has to receive blood.

[00:31:22] The Missional Life - Amanda: It still has to receive its own nourishment from, if it doesn't, that's how heart attacks occur is when those things happen. Yeah. , they can't receive, , the muscle can't receive what it needs. So in that same way, , exactly what you were saying, , just to be able to receive, , we, of course, it's important to give, give it, but receiving it, Is imperative to be able to then give.

[00:31:49] Rachael Adams: Yeah, we can't give out of an empty cup, right? And I feel like the only time we have anything valuable to give is when we're Overflowing what God has already given us and he's given us so much Every good a perfect gift is from him

[00:32:02] The Missional Life - Dan: this new book You said you've had it in your heart in your mind to write for numerous years, right?

[00:32:09] The Missional Life - Dan: And it's finally happening, it's coming to pass. You probably spent a lot of time praying, meditating, being in scripture, just trying to hear God and his heart for this message. Was there anything in there as you were writing and God was just giving you revelation on this topic of love where you're just kind of like you're writing and you kind of maybe stopped and you looked up like Are you sure God?

[00:32:33] The Missional Life - Dan: Like am I really hearing you? Was there any kind of message or any kind of point where you had to really wrestle with God and and and Make sure that that's what he wanted. What was the hardest part I guess in writing this book Were there any kind of topic that became harder for you?

[00:32:53] Rachael Adams: Honestly, I feel like it's all hard and because At the root of who I am is just a selfless or selfish sinful human being and to love like he does To love unconditionally, to not keep a record of wrongs, to to forgive my enemies.

[00:33:16] Rachael Adams: I think, you know, maybe if I'm, I'm mentioning that right now and somebody is listening, there's probably somebody that comes to mind who has rejected you or betrayed you or just done something really painful to you. And the way that Jesus lived his life, I mean, I often wonder if that's why he included Judas in his disciples because he still washed Judas's feet.

[00:33:43] Rachael Adams: He still shared meals with him and he still died on the cross even for Judas. And we are called to do the same things. He says that. The world will know that we are his disciples by our love. And so how we live has to be counter cultural. It has to be different from the rest of the world. And that then doesn't point to us that points to him.

[00:34:11] Rachael Adams: And so to, to really live out first Corinthians 13, four through eight. To not keep a record of wrongs of people to be sacrificial, to love lavishly and patiently and kindly, and in all of the ways, always persevering in our love and love, never failing, we can't do that apart from him and certainly can't let the love our enemies apart from him.

[00:34:38] Rachael Adams: And so I think this is all a challenge. But I think that. We can bear much fruit as it talks about in John and that parable and the fruit will be our love. And again, I just want to reiterate that this is not, sometimes I don't want anybody to leave this episode and be discouraged. Like, Oh, I can't do this.

[00:34:59] Rachael Adams: And well, maybe you can't do this, but we can through God when you have the Holy Spirit residing in you. And so I think about my husband's grandmother. Her name is Anne and she was married to my. husband's grandfather, Norman, for almost 70 years. And Norman had Alzheimer's, and he had to be in a nursing home.

[00:35:19] Rachael Adams: And so my husband's grandmother, Anne, did not have to be in the nursing home. She was really of sound mind and good health, but she moved there anyway, and she would stay there. Still change his socks and lay out his clothes and sit with him and help him with his meals and his medications. And they would walk around the nursing home and I look at their legacy of love and it was something that was not showy.

[00:35:44] Rachael Adams: Nobody saw it. Nobody knows who Norman and Ann are except Brian's parents, my husband's parents and Brian and I now as a married couple and our children. And I think our legacy of love in those. Small, consistent acts, that commitment, that choice, that you're not always going to feel like loving, but it's, it's love in action.

[00:36:07] Rachael Adams: And that's what she did in simple, small ways for over 70 years. And that's the kind of legacy of love that I want to live on through me. And the rest of my family for the, for, for generations to come.

[00:36:20] The Missional Life - Dan: You're talking about feeling, you know, sometimes unworthy or sometimes feeling, like, how can I do this?

[00:36:26] The Missional Life - Dan: And I was thinking about Paul, right? Paul sits there and originally he's wanting to go to the Jews. And finally he's like, all right, God, actually sending me to the Gentiles. And, and how do you go to people that haven't really encountered God? How do you go to People who are, you know, the sinners, so to speak, right?

[00:36:44] The Missional Life - Dan: And yet he identified himself as the chief of sinners, and he identified as like, man, like, like, I'm, I'm the least of these people. And I think so many times where we can We just have to get into that identity of who we are. We don't always live things out. But Paul got into who he truly was in the spirit.

[00:37:05] The Missional Life - Dan: And he said, look, I'm the chief of sinners, but I have something to share. And, and oftentimes we negate that fact that the listener might not have their ears open if they feel like they can't identify, like, who is this person? Like if they're, they're perfect. And how, what would they ever know about?

[00:37:21] The Missional Life - Dan: Sitting or they would what would they ever know about going through my situation? But Paul's like he just kind of throws it all down like hey look like you might sin But I'm the biggest sinner and then everybody's like Mike I can listen to this guy, right? and so I think like I think that's how it is with our own stories where when we're when we're just real with people, I think people, especially in this generation, are so hungry for authenticity and hungry for a real love and for just no pretense because we, I mean, we live in a day of pretense, right?

[00:37:51] The Missional Life - Dan: Like we can filter everything. We can AI everything we can do whatever. And yet. We intrinsically have that spirit inside of us, especially those who walk by faith and have the Holy Spirit. We have a, we have a discernment in us that we can know what's true and what's not. And so I think people are hungry.

[00:38:10] The Missional Life - Dan: And as we are , our authentic selves and just sharing from our heart not in a, you know, Perfectionist way or anything like that. It can it can truly reach the heart of the listener. And I just want to share a really quick story. I wouldn't normally say this, but we talked about earlier.

[00:38:24] The Missional Life - Dan: You asked how we went on mission and I was an exchange student and one of the biggest acts of love that I've ever received was from my mom. And where before I went as an exchange student, my mom, we had a kind of going away party and she secretly had all of my friends write me like a little like page or a little like kind of small paper of just something that they liked about me or just something encouraging or just whatever.

[00:38:51] The Missional Life - Dan: And then when I was packing, she put those in a pair of socks or in a pant pocket or. And so all throughout the time that I was overseas, I would just. Be finding little notes from my friends and it might come at the perfect time and I think that's how God is sometimes too where we God just gives us those scriptures or gives us something, you know, we're not feeling something We're not what we're just we just need a word and sometimes it's just man.

[00:39:19] The Missional Life - Dan: It's that that person that calls us is that That email we get it's that text. We receive it's the person stopping by and we receive love in such a different way from god And so I just really wanted to encourage you, that we Who have platforms?

[00:39:34] The Missional Life - Dan: We don't we don't get it right all the time and we can be our hardest judges But at the same time, god uses You people that , that humble themselves first and just realize that it's, it's all about him and not about us.

[00:39:46] Rachael Adams: Yeah. I love that story. And I'm just thinking like we all fall short of the glory of God, every single one of us.

[00:39:53] Rachael Adams: And, but everything that we do, we do As if unto the Lord, like none of our labor is in vain. And as we're talking, I just want to be mindful of in revelation that talks about, he's, they're talking about to the church of Ephesus, how like, I know your good deeds. I know your works. I know you've persevered. I know you've not grown weary, but you have forsaken your first love.

[00:40:15] Rachael Adams: Like I hold this against you. And so I think just always just to. Ask God to search your heart. Like, what is my motive in doing this? Am I, am I doing this to gain some sort of notoriety or, you know, like, what is your heart motivation behind what you're doing and don't forget who you're doing it for don't forsake your first love as you are going out on mission and trying to love other people.

[00:40:41] Rachael Adams: Well,

[00:40:43] The Missional Life - Dan: so . What is your biggest hope that the reader walks away with after reading this new book ?

[00:40:50] Rachael Adams: I think number one to realize how loved they already are apart from anything that they do I know you all are parents like I am and As soon as I found out that I was pregnant I loved that child, you know, and then they didn't have to do anything to earn that love.

[00:41:06] Rachael Adams: I just loved them because they existed. And the same is true for every one of us. God looks upon his children and he. Loves you. He delights in you. He sees you. He knows you. He loves you. But in saying that we do have work to do while we're here. And so I pray that the, you first receive God's love, know how loved you are.

[00:41:27] Rachael Adams: And then you go and share that with the rest of the world, leading them to learn to, to know and experience the love of the father too.

[00:41:36] The Missional Life - Dan: And that love can be so empowering. , you know, we love because he loved first. And so without , that initial love from him we, we don't have much to offer.

[00:41:44] The Missional Life - Dan: Like you said, , we're giving out from an empty tank. And but yet, But when we do have that love, it's just this endless flow of love. And I think there have been times, and I know we all have, where you just feel the love of Christ at a moment for a certain situation. You walk into it and you see that person that's homeless.

[00:42:02] The Missional Life - Dan: You see that person that just needs needs , a meal. You see a person that just needs that encouraging word. And, There's so many times in scripture where it says Jesus looked at him and he had compassion on them. And I think when we are fellowshipping with the Father, when we're doing those things that you suggested earlier, that we give space for God's love to flow in us and through us and channel out of us.

[00:42:29] The Missional Life - Dan: And sometimes we get small glimpses of that because it's the Holy Spirit living in us. It's Christ, , in us. That is really having compassion on that that person And so we basically just get to be his hands and feet, , because he's he's living inside of us And so I just want to encourage the listener don't forsake your first love but as you're abiding in that love as you're you're empowered by that love now go out there and follow the spirit and and love on the person that God puts in front of you Today because so many times we're thinking about these big plans.

[00:43:01] The Missional Life - Dan: What are we going to do? What are we going to do? But God just wants he's like today today I just want you to love this person. I want you to text this person. I want you just To go give this person a a word and that's what's important So how can our listeners connect with you? How can they follow your podcast?

[00:43:15] The Missional Life - Dan: How can they connect with you social media wise? Tell us all the information.

[00:43:19] Rachael Adams: I would love to connect with anyone listening today. You can Find me at rachel adams author on instagram and on facebook And then my website is rachel k adams. com and there I have actually a free love offering Calendar. It's 31 days of different ideas of ways you can offer God's love to the world around you to live that missional life.

[00:43:43] Rachael Adams: And so you can find that for free on my website. You can listen to the podcast on any listening platform, and then the book is available online, anywhere books are sold.

[00:43:53] The Missional Life - Dan: Well, everyday prayers for love. Listeners go out and get it today. Rachel, what an honor to have you on the show today. Thank you so much for sharing just what God has put on your heart and just the revelation he's given to you.

[00:44:04] The Missional Life - Dan: We speak blessing over your ministry and just everything you're putting your hand to. And we just we're so thankful to see God working in and through you, Rachel.

[00:44:11] Rachael Adams: Thank you so much for having me. It's an honor to be here.