Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] Speaker A: Welcome to Life Reviewed, a podcast by Hope House Colorado, where we invite you into conversation with teenage moms and the people who champion them. These stories of struggle, overcoming and perspective shifts will challenge you to review life as you've known it. One story, one person, one conversation at a time.
[00:00:20] Speaker B: Oh, I thought I knew the kind of life that I would need. Hello, and thank you for joining us for Life review.
My name is Olivia Timken. I am the education and career coordinator here at Hope House. And I'm here with a teen mom that's super actively involved in our program named Ashley. Do you want to introduce yourself a little bit?
[00:00:49] Speaker C: Hi, my name is Ashley, and I have been here at Hope House for one year already.
I have a baby. His name is Elias, and more like a toddler. He just turned one.
But yes, I am very involved in Hope House, and I just love being here.
[00:01:12] Speaker B: Yeah, it's so fun to have you at Hope House.
Before we get into totally talking about how we've interacted with each other and a lot of our current involvement at Hope House, I thought it might be kind of nice to just share a little bit about our lives before coming to Hope House, how we've gotten to where we are and who we are and all that leads up to that.
So I can share a little bit about myself first.
I have been at Hope House for about a little over two years now.
Directly before coming to Hope House, I was working as a college advisor for online students. And in that, I really loved being in higher education and focusing in on college and really helping people figure out what they want to do with their lives and see how empowering education could be. But I knew that that wasn't necessarily, like, my end goal of my career, but it was just a beautiful stepping stone into where I wanted to end up.
Before that, all through college, I went to a tiny little Bible college in Manhattan, Kansas, called Manhattan Christian College. And throughout my time in college, I actually originally started at Kansas State University and was not a believer.
And through my freshman year, just met some really awesome christian women who impacted me and made me see my need for Jesus in my life and that I didn't want to be in control of things.
I really wanted God to actually be in the driver's seat of my life. And that that was something that would be so freeing that I don't have to be the one driving the car of life, if you say.
And so through that just really deepened my love for Jesus and my love for his word and knew that I wanted my life not just my personal life, but what I devoted myself to in my career, to be surrounding Jesus and helping people to experience him. And so that was how I ended up transferring to Manhattan christian college, and I studied christian ministry in social justice. And some people are kind of confused by what that means, but really, social justice is just kind of seeing the world through God's heart and the way that God designed it to be. And obviously, we can look around us and see that the world around us is not how God designed it to be, but entering into that and seeing how we can be a part of God's redemption and restoration of the brokenness we see around us. And so in that, I started working in jail ministry with women, leading Bible studies, and just loved being able to be a part of people's walk with God through really hard times, and especially loved working with women in that. And had a chance to spend two months in Nairobi, Kenya, in the slums. And a big part of what I did there was working with mothers of children with disabilities and helping them to find employment and ways to make money to support their children when they are. A lot of times, we're seen as the reason why their kids had disabilities. And so empowering them, first of all, to know the truth, that is not God would never do that, and that it's not his heart, and empowering them to find work and support their families. So it was a beautiful way to see how all of that and my passion for really empowering women led me here to hope house and where all we do is empowering women. And it's just so fun.
And I just love to see God at work and get to be a part of his restoration and redemption plan for the world as a whole, but even just in individual lives and that he does that in beautiful ways in teen moms. So that's kind of my journey to arriving here at Hope House and how I got to where I am. I can share a little bit more later about all that I do in and out of every day at Hope House. But, Ashley, do you want to start by kind of sharing your background story and how you are, who you are and how you got here?
[00:06:08] Speaker C: Yes. So I got here because my niece, Daisy, she would tell me about how good Hope House was, and my sister, too. She told me, like, hey, you need to get enrolled in Hope House. They help. They helped. They good. They do good things.
They help with your baby. They take care of your baby there. You won't have to worry about diapers for a little bit. You will be in a good place there. And honestly, it has been super amazing being here and involved in the hope house, because I don't feel alone anymore. I don't feel helpless. I actually have something to do in my, my mental health is super amazing. Just coming in through those doors. Even if I just want to hang out with people, they hang out with me. And I just feel so welcome to be here in Elias. Just taking care of. Really good at early learning, and it's just amazing being here.
[00:07:10] Speaker B: Yeah, that's awesome. It is really cool to see.
Like you said, you can just come and hang out, and we, whether it's staff or other moms, like, we want to just, we want to hang. It's super fun.
[00:07:21] Speaker C: I've also, like, became friends with so many people here.
I am not alone anymore, like I said. And I just love how they involve God in everything.
Cause everything, everything good that comes your way is because of God and how good he is.
[00:07:40] Speaker B: Hmm. I love that. What would you say, like, your relationship with God or your view of God looked like before being at Hope House?
[00:07:51] Speaker C: Well, I was born in church, so I always had an understanding of how good God was and is, but I did, for a little bit, lose my faith and didn't think that he was real at all.
But there was this one night, I was sitting in my bed just crying and telling him, like, hey, if you're real, please, like, send help. And that's when I enrolled that Hope house, and they had called me, and I came, and everything has been so much better since.
[00:08:31] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:08:32] Speaker C: Yeah, it is.
[00:08:33] Speaker B: It is amazing to see how God can intervene in that way that, like, you were asking him to help you and be a part of your life, and that Hope House was just one of the ways that he did that.
[00:08:47] Speaker C: Yeah. Hope House is amazing.
I don't even have words to describe it because it's just super amazing. They helped me so much with everything, and Elias loves being here, and just. It's unconditional support that they give us here.
[00:09:04] Speaker B: Yeah. I'm glad that's been your experience.
[00:09:07] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:09:08] Speaker B: And I would say something that I've seen even, like, I was talking to some other staff people the other day, like, there seems to be kind of recently more of a shift of just relationship between the moms, and I think that you are a big facilitator of that. Like, there isn't somebody that walks in the door that you don't welcome them and make them feel a part of who we are. And the staff we like strive to do that and try as much as we can. But I think it's different when it comes from another teen mom in the program, that they can feel welcomed and loved by one of their peers to say yes.
[00:09:52] Speaker C: I try to be nice to everyone. I try to include everybody and everything.
I try to be, like, talkative and start conversation with new moms. Cause I know how nervous I can feel, even if it's just something different from school. It's just.
It's nerve wracking coming in here, and you don't even know what to do, what's going to happen. Cause at first, like, it's. We take a tour around the whole building, and it's just really nervous to do that. But, yes, I try to involve myself with everybody, and I try to involve myself with every staff member, too, and it's amazing.
[00:10:35] Speaker B: Yeah, I remember we were talking once in the learning lab about there was another mom. I don't remember who it was. And you were like, oh, you asked me about her, and I said, I answered your question. I was like, oh, are you guys friends? Do you guys know each other? And you said, we met each other once, so I would say she's my friend. And I just loved that. Just being able to meet somebody one time and say, we're friends, that's awesome. Not everyone's like that naturally, so I think that's something really special about you. And the more people that are like that in this world, people will find more community, and, like you said, not feel alone.
[00:11:17] Speaker C: Yes. There are so many shy people, and I honestly love considering everybody, my friends, even staff, the babies, too. I love babies, and I love that Elias has little baby friends that he could hang out with, like your baby sat on.
[00:11:36] Speaker B: Yeah, I was gonna say that's, like, a fun segue into talking about the fact that I have my baby at work with me.
So, for background for our listeners, I was on maternity leave at the beginning of this year and had my first baby in January. His name is Zion.
So when I got to come back to Hope House, I brought him with me, and he's been with me the whole time until the early learning center opens and he can enroll there. And I think it might have been the first week you were, Ashley, you were there with Elias in the mama bear cave, and I had Zion, and we were like, oh, look, they can be friends. And they both, like, reached out to each other and grabbed him. It was so cute.
[00:12:25] Speaker C: They already love each other, and I am super excited for them to be in a class together, and it's just amazing seeing you with Zion. I know you probably felt a little bit bad for having Zion there with you, but he's honestly a blessing. And I love coming to Hope house, going down to visit you guys, because I do that often and seeing him there, and when he's not there, I'm like, where is he? But, yes, you do a really good job with and without him, and I want to thank you so much for that.
[00:12:58] Speaker B: Oh, thanks. Yeah, it's definitely super eye opening with having him with me during the day of just, like, how much you and all the moms at Hope house juggle so much with your kids.
I just opened my eyes and my perspective a lot, trying to, like, do work with the baby and seeing you guys do it and make it look so easy, I was like, what the heck? They are so good. You guys are just good at what you do as moms. You were made to be moms.
[00:13:31] Speaker C: Yeah.
I know you probably felt a little nervous at first of all, having him, but I truly want you to know that you're doing a really good job.
Thank you for helping all us moms. Like, I know it's not only coming from me, but you're super amazing, and we love you so much.
[00:13:48] Speaker B: Thanks. You're too kind. I think that seeing all of you guys be moms helped me so much. Preparing to be a mom, especially just the way that you love Elias and care for him, it's so sweet to see.
So thank you for being an example to me of how to be a good and loving mom. It's awesome.
[00:14:15] Speaker C: Thank you.
[00:14:16] Speaker B: Yeah. So we can talk a little bit about kind of our journey together, not just Elias and Zion.
So, I mean, the main thing that we just kind of did together. Washington, your high school journey.
[00:14:35] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:14:36] Speaker B: Can you share a little bit more about, like, leading up to high school at Hope House and just your experience doing high school with us?
[00:14:44] Speaker C: Well, as soon as I joined, I think it was a week after that, I talked to Celeste. Cause she was the education coordinator.
[00:14:55] Speaker B: Yeah, she was the high school and ge coordinator.
[00:14:58] Speaker C: She actually helped me get into it pretty fast. And I remember my principal from my other school. She was so excited for me to have joined school again. And honestly, I was looking forward to that when my sister told me about Hope House.
So I did lose motivation for a little bit until Jamie started back up the homies and homework, and I started coming to those more often and working on my school harder to finish before I have another baby.
But it was really amazing to have all the support that you and Jamie give us and all the snacks you guys take to homies and homework because they are so good.
And just having friends there to study with. I know sometimes I go in there and I kind of distract some of them, but I try not to.
[00:15:58] Speaker B: It happens.
[00:15:59] Speaker C: It does. I'm sorry.
[00:16:01] Speaker B: It happens. Yeah. I'll give so, a little bit of context. So, you were doing Penn foster online high school, right?
[00:16:08] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:16:08] Speaker B: So that's our online high school option, where you can work through it at your own pace, on your own time, and finish your. Get your diploma. So what was your, like, when you, like, picked it back up in. When was that? In January when you started again around there?
[00:16:30] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:16:30] Speaker B: February. It was while I was on maternity leave.
[00:16:32] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:16:33] Speaker B: Do you remember, like, how, like, what percentage you were at or how far along you were?
[00:16:36] Speaker C: How was that? 5%.
[00:16:38] Speaker B: And then when did you finish?
[00:16:41] Speaker C: June.
[00:16:42] Speaker B: June. June. I think it was the beginning of June.
[00:16:44] Speaker C: It was, I think, three days before graduation.
[00:16:48] Speaker B: Yes. So you pretty much did your entire high school diploma in, like, February, March, April, May, 4 months.
[00:16:57] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:16:57] Speaker B: That's crazy.
[00:16:58] Speaker C: It is.
[00:16:59] Speaker B: You were, like, killing it.
[00:17:02] Speaker C: Thank you.
[00:17:03] Speaker B: What was your main. What changed that? You. Cause you said you enrolled, but then you kind of lost motivation. What was the thing that changed for you?
[00:17:12] Speaker C: I want to this day, I want to be something in life. I want to become a teacher, the future. And I wanted Elias to actually have, like, oh, hey, my mommy is a teacher.
Because I know growing up, like, the only thing that I would be able to say is, like, hey, my mom. My mom works in warehouses, and she does really hard work, and she shouldn't be working this hard, but I want Elias to have a good life. I don't want him to be worrying about anything, just like I did when I was little. I would. I was literally, like, eight years old worrying about money. So I think that's the motivation that changed me and how I thought about school.
[00:17:58] Speaker B: Yeah. It wasn't just about school. It was thinking down the road.
[00:18:03] Speaker C: Yes. I want to have a good future for my babies and me.
[00:18:08] Speaker B: No, I love that. And when new girls start Penn Foster, I always tell them, it is totally possible to do this pretty fast. You can be dedicated.
[00:18:20] Speaker C: Oh, yes.
It's easier than having to commit to school, as well.
I think it's actually pretty fun to do it, as well. And I used my notes most of the time. I have a notebook full of notes that I used. But I think, well, whenever people tell me about Penn Foster, I tell them that they got this. There's not one thing that we can't do without God.
[00:18:48] Speaker B: Yeah.
Way to bring it back to God.
[00:18:51] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:18:52] Speaker B: Yeah. He's the one who gives us the strength and the ability to move through things. Yeah. And it's just nice that with something like Penn Foster, you can, if your kid is finally asleep at 03:00 a.m. or whatever, you can work on it whenever it works for you.
[00:19:12] Speaker C: Yes. I also. I think I lost a lot of motivation as well because Elias was three weeks old and I was trying to do everything at once, and it was just so hard for me. But thankfully, it's a homies and homework. I got back into it.
[00:19:30] Speaker B: Yes.
Do you want to share a little bit more about homies and homework? What that is?
[00:19:36] Speaker C: Yes. I can share a little bit, and then you share the rest.
[00:19:38] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:19:39] Speaker C: Well, what homies and homework is to me is a little study group. Not really a group, but you can study on your own or with your friends. And Jamie and Olivia buy us snacks to snack on while we're working on school. And every time we come, they give us a gift card. And that is amazing. That helps us so much.
[00:20:07] Speaker B: Yeah. Jamie started homies and homework while I was on maternity leave as a way to, like, build that community. So it's not like you're doing. You're doing online high school by yourself, but. Or doing the GED, but you get to be with other people doing it.
[00:20:22] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:20:22] Speaker B: And I remember my first week of going to homies and homework.
I saw all the snacks Jamie had, and I was like, wow, you go all out with the snacks she had, like, root beer floats. And, like, I suggested that. Yes.
[00:20:37] Speaker C: I was crazy. She was like, what are your snack suggestions? I'm like, I kind of want to root beer flow. And she's like, okay, she made it possible.
[00:20:47] Speaker B: Yes. She makes things happen.
[00:20:49] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:20:49] Speaker B: Yes. Even with delicious snacks. Cool. Well, we'll pause here for a short little commercial break, and then we'll keep chatting.
[00:20:59] Speaker A: Hi, everyone. It's Celeste, development coordinator at Hope House, Colorado. We have an awesome group of 233 champions called our bedrock builders who donate monthly gifts. And I, we would love for you to join. This group is super special to our moms because it provides them stable support through an income stream that they know they can always count on. If you'd like to become a monthly donor, please visit hopehousecolorado.org. donate now and make your recurring donation today. Thank you so much for empowering our teen moms.
[00:21:31] Speaker B: All right, welcome back. We're so happy to be continuing to talk.
It feels kind of funny to be on a podcast. I feel like a little imposter syndrome. I don't know about you, Ashley.
[00:21:42] Speaker C: Yes. We had to postpone it too many times. But it's okay.
[00:21:46] Speaker B: We're here. It happened. Yes. So, I know earlier when we were kind of talking about your motivation for high school, you mentioned just your experience with your mom, working hard, jobs, and how that's a motivating you to your future career aspirations.
Can you share with us a little bit more about, like, what you want to do and how your past has shaped where you see yourself going in the future?
[00:22:15] Speaker C: Well, I. As I said, I want to be a teacher in the future.
I want parents to feel like their babies are safe, because I know I feel very nervous about putting my baby in the new ELC that is opening up. But I want mothers, especially, to feel good about their teachers, and so many bad things happen in this world, so I just want them to feel that their babies are safe with me.
But honestly, growing up, I didn't really have a rich life. I didn't have a wealthy life.
A life that my mom would take us to the food banks. She would feed us what she could. And, honestly, I thank her so much for that. And I thank God for always giving us a piece of breath to put in our mouth and our bellies before going to bed. And I thank her as well, like, for giving us a good life and.
And a good childhood.
It was very hard growing up. I do remember many of the times that I had to worry about too many things that weren't even something that a child should be worrying about, like money and just us being poor, me not having shoes that I wanted, me not having shoes that I fit in or backpacks. Good backpacks. Or I.
Or, like, good snacks at all. I couldn't get those good snacks or those little yogurts with princesses in them and stuff. And even my mom tells me to this day, like, I'm sorry. And I'm like, it's not your fault.
Things happen for a reason. It's okay. I forgive you. It's not your fault. But I think that's my main motivation. Just having a better life for Elias.
[00:24:17] Speaker B: And that's beautiful that you can see that and still thank your mom and see the work she's put in, and that Elias is gonna be able to look at his childhood and see how hard you work as a mom to change the cycle and give him things that maybe you didn't have a kid.
[00:24:40] Speaker C: Yes, I do want to change that for him and his future. I want. I want it to be completely different.
[00:24:47] Speaker B: Mm hmm.
And you're expanding your family?
[00:24:51] Speaker C: Yes.
Well, as you guys may know, Eliza's a boy.
I am having a little girl, and she is due December 19.
It was a surprise. We were not expecting it. We're not planning it, but she's a miracle from God, so I am super thankful for her, and I'm super thankful for Elias as well.
[00:25:17] Speaker B: Yeah. You're gonna be such a good boy and girl mom now.
[00:25:21] Speaker C: Yes. I was waiting for a little girl to do her hair and dress her really cute.
[00:25:27] Speaker B: Yes. And Elias had such long hair, so I feel like your little girl's gonna. You're gonna be able to braid her hair.
[00:25:34] Speaker C: I can already feel it with all this heartburn that I have.
It's so hard now. Like, Elias wants to be jumping around me. He wants to be rough, like, little boys are rough. But I can't let him jump on my belly and do certain things. Cause I don't want him to hurt the baby, but it sucks. But it's okay. Cause he'll understand it when he's older.
[00:25:59] Speaker B: Yeah. I feel like he's gonna be the sweetest big brother.
[00:26:03] Speaker C: He is.
[00:26:03] Speaker B: I think he's gonna love her.
[00:26:05] Speaker C: I think he's gonna love her as well. He's a really sweet baby.
[00:26:08] Speaker B: And even going back to what you said about being a teacher, I think that your heart for your own children is what will make you such a good teacher. Like, you have such that mom instinct, and you're gonna treat everyone else's kids as your own.
[00:26:26] Speaker C: Yes, I will. I for sure will. I hope that if anybody is hearing this, and I am your baby's teacher in the future, I am going to take care of them with my life. I know how important our babies are to us.
[00:26:38] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:26:39] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:26:39] Speaker B: I didn't expect, like, you know, they tell you, like, you're gonna love your kids so much, and then when you have your own baby, it's like, you truly cannot imagine what it's gonna be like until you're in it.
[00:26:53] Speaker C: My sister used to say, like, oh, you say your boyfriend is the love of your life, but just wait until you meet your baby. Cause that's your real love of your life. And it's true. I do have love for Caesar and my boyfriend, but I thank God for lies every day, because he changed my life. He completely changed my life. Everything has been so much better with him, and it.
[00:27:15] Speaker B: Aw. What would you say? Like, the main things that have changed since having him have been just learning.
[00:27:22] Speaker C: How to be a mom learning how to manage everything, how to feed him and feed myself, like, ideas of what to give him, how to change him, how to dress him. Cause sometimes I run out of clothes. Cause I don't have clean clothes sometimes. But eventually we end up coming to Hull house and in good clothes and good shoes and just ready to do whatever.
[00:27:54] Speaker B: Yeah, he was so well dressed.
[00:27:57] Speaker C: Thank you. I try to. Now that I'm pregnant, I am.
I do struggle a lot since a lot of things aren't fitting me anymore, but helps with maternity clothes, and that has been super amazing for me.
[00:28:12] Speaker B: Yeah, that does help.
[00:28:13] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:28:14] Speaker B: Maternity clothes. It feels like your clothes are changing how they fit every week.
[00:28:20] Speaker C: Oh, yes. Yes. I actually have some shorts last week that fit me perfectly, and then I tried them on today and tried to put them on, and they actually did not. But. And so it's just amazing how much the baby is growing. Yeah, they actually scared me a little. A little bit ago. They told me that the baby was measuring small, but she is only measuring three days smaller. And it's probably because of the accuracy of my period.
[00:28:48] Speaker B: So just like how your due date was calculated. Yes.
[00:28:53] Speaker C: They scared me a lot. I was scared for a while, but she is doing good things to God.
[00:29:00] Speaker B: Yeah. I feel like pregnancy and having babies just gives such a different perspective of how powerful God is in being able to create something so small and perfect and beautiful.
[00:29:13] Speaker C: Yes.
I actually feel. It feels weird sometimes to have a baby inside of you, but now I have an anterior placenta, so it's the one in the front. And I can't really. I couldn't really feel her before, but now as I'm. As we're speaking, she is moving a lot. She's kicking me a lot. And I thank God for that because I could feel her. And Elias lays in my. In my tummy sometimes, too. Like, if he knows that he's having a little sister, but so cute. Yes. I thank God that I'm having another baby.
[00:29:45] Speaker B: When Zion was first born, I remember holding him and looking at his fingerprints on his toes.
In your footprint, but there's little indents on their toes. And I was like, these little tiny wrinkles on his tiny little pinky baby toe.
That is just amazing that God took the time and had the intention to make something so tiny and so individualized to a baby.
And I would just remember being so in awe of that. Like, we see, you know, you go through a drive through the mountains, and it's like, wow, these giant mountains, they're so beautiful. God is so amazing. But how often do we look at the little teeny, tiny things that God puts intention behind, like little footprints? I don't know. That was just so cool. We just get to see God differently.
[00:30:46] Speaker C: I do remember when Elias was born, I think 2 hours after he actually stopped breathing for a little bit. Yes, it was super scary, but I couldn't find the little remote that they gave you to call the nurse.
[00:30:59] Speaker B: Oh, no.
[00:30:59] Speaker C: So I actually jumped out of the bed and ran to the nurses. Even after I gave birth. Whoa. I did not care. I did it. And, like, to this day, I think I would do anything for my baby.
But thankfully, it was just the fluid that he had, and they didn't take it out right. So they helped me with that. But you do.
[00:31:23] Speaker B: I'm very scary. Yeah.
[00:31:25] Speaker C: Yes, definitely. For my baby. Definitely. And for anybody else's baby, I would, too.
[00:31:31] Speaker B: Yeah. That, to me, that always is a good reminder to have, like, the innate of, what's the word? Like, desire, care that we have for life. And we see that and experience that so much more with our own children or other people's children. But being able to value all life in general and seeing the people we interact with every day as people created in God's image with dignity, that deserve honor and respect and love and feeling heard and seen and just how important that is. And if we were to see all people the way that we see little tiny babies, like, how different the world would be.
[00:32:19] Speaker C: Yes, it would be definitely super different. It's just amazing as well to have the privilege to involve God in everything that happens in your life, because that should be one of the things that we should do the most.
Cause honestly, I see Elias. I'm like, thank you so much, God. And, like, I go to sleep. Thank you for letting me be with Elias and thank you for letting me be a good mom and for giving me intelligence on how to be a good mom to him.
[00:32:48] Speaker B: I love that you said that of, like, what a privilege it is.
[00:32:52] Speaker C: It is amazing privilege that we know who God is.
Yeah.
[00:33:00] Speaker B: And we just get to have so much more purpose and gratitude in all that we do because of that.
[00:33:08] Speaker C: Yes. I I am truly amazed of how many people say, like, oh, God is not real. I'm like, yes, he is. Don't say that.
[00:33:17] Speaker B: Yeah, look around you. Look at all these beautiful things.
He's alive and at work and moving and cares about our lives and.
Yeah, just so good.
[00:33:30] Speaker C: Yes. And one of those. Those ideas that prove that is Hope House.
[00:33:36] Speaker B: Cause, aw.
[00:33:37] Speaker C: Yes. Hope house is just amazing.
[00:33:40] Speaker B: Thanks.
Yeah. I feel the same way. Being at Hope House every day is such a good reminder for me of how God loves me, even that he granted me the ability to be there and help us. Yeah, and you help us, too, like, as staff.
It's really cool.
What would you say, just to wrap up, how have you seen God working in your life, in your heart, over the last year, since it can be since being at Hope House or even just recently?
[00:34:18] Speaker C: Well, I feel like without God, we are nothing.
So just having more of a connection with him and talking to him every day, being more involved in church or involved in, like, faith nights that we have here at Hope House, I think life has gone a little better for me, and everything has been so much easier.
I don't worry about many things because I know God is with me and he is helping me through it all.
And I love. I love that Hope House involves him so much. Cause he truly deserves everything.
[00:35:05] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, without him, Hope House wouldn't even exist.
[00:35:10] Speaker C: Yes. And I do love, like, the saying that Lisa says, like, you, you are here for a reason. You are meant to be here. And I am taking that as my advantage that I can be here and that God put Hope house in my way for a reason.
[00:35:30] Speaker B: Yeah. I feel the same way that I'm here at Hope house for a reason, too, and get to be a part of so many amazing journeys and amazing stories like yours. And I just am so excited to see what God has in store next for your life and what your next chapters will look like, whether they're expected chapters or unexpected chapters.
I have faith that your faith in him as your foundation, he will take you great places, and he will see and honor all that you do for his glory.
[00:36:09] Speaker C: Yes. You as well, you. I think you have helped so many people a lot and even helped me just something little by building my resume. And that's super amazing. Cause I feel all your support and your love and thank you so much for all of that.
[00:36:26] Speaker B: Aw, you're welcome. Thank you.
It's nice to feel seen and appreciated. So I appreciate that.
[00:36:34] Speaker C: Oh, you are very seen. The group of friends that I have, they're like, oh, I love Bolivia so much.
We always talk about you and stuff and stuff, like how. How good.
[00:36:44] Speaker B: Also, Emily Foster, like, she's amazing.
[00:36:47] Speaker C: Yes. She's super amazing.
[00:36:49] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:36:50] Speaker C: She has helped you my journey with God.
[00:36:52] Speaker B: Yes.
She's so good at that, focusing in on that.
[00:36:57] Speaker C: And you guys love our babies a lot, and that just, I think as moms, that just makes us feel really good. That you guys love our babies a lot.
[00:37:05] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. Cause obviously you love your babies a lot, so one of the best ways we can love you is loving. Loving your little ones.
Cool. Well, it was so great chatting, and, yes, recording this podcast.
I'm sure that people will be super encouraged by your story and how we've been able to work together. And just seeing and hearing your faith, it's really impactful for me, especially as, like, just getting to see you grow and change. And so I'm sure that people listening to this will feel the genuineness in your love for God and the fruit of that in your life.
[00:37:52] Speaker C: Thank you. Thank you so much, Olivia.
[00:37:53] Speaker B: Of course.
The things I didn't know? The things I didn't know about you, o precious soul. The things I didn't know?
[00:38:13] Speaker C: The things I didn't know about you, about.
