Abby Richmond from First Baptist Church Woodstock, Allie Kennedy from Momentum Church, and Brielle Underwood from The Factory

Speaker1: [00:00:08] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX Studios in Woodstock, Georgia. Welcome to women in business where we celebrate

Speaker2: [00:00:18] Influential women making a difference

Speaker1: [00:00:20] In our community.

Speaker3: [00:00:22] Now here’s your host. Hello, Laurie Kennedy here, and I’m your host today for women in business, powered by Business RadioX Stone Payton, our producer is also in the studio with us today. We are grateful to have you tuned in with us and today we are interviewing a group of young worship leaders that I just happen to know and love. We are going to be speaking with Brian Underwood and we are going to be speaking with Ali Kennedy, and we are going to be speaking with Abby Richardson.

Speaker2: [00:00:56] Richmond Close, Richmond. Ok.

Speaker3: [00:00:59] She will just start with this because she’s always been Abby Honigstein to me, and I just I’m too old to remember new things. So tell us what is new in your life about this marriage thing? Like, how does this change your life?

Speaker2: [00:01:13] Oh, like just about everything. Yeah, so got married in March to the best man in the world, Graham Richmond. He was our bass player at church, and I thought he was way too cute and talented to not marry me. So I said, All right, it’s time, man. So we got married in March. He’s just incredible. But yeah, it changed my last name from Lowenstein, which is like quite the mouthful to Richmond, and everyone knows how to spell. I keep trying to spell it on the phone and people cut me off and I’m like, OK, you got it. You got it. You’re good.

Speaker3: [00:01:38] Yeah, I never knew how to say your name. Yeah, no wonder it was like Cohen’s Steen and jerks. Like, No, I should I tell you what he said? He was like, No, it’s like Frankenstein. Oh, I

Speaker1: [00:01:47] Got it all the time. Yeah, yeah, I’m not complaining. I remember.

Speaker2: [00:01:53] I love it. No, I appreciate it. My dad is. My dad doesn’t even know my new last name. So you’re good. You’re good to go.

Speaker3: [00:01:58] Oh, thank you. Thank you. I’m glad you love me. I’m glad we’ve we’ve known each other a long time forever. How did we meet?

Speaker2: [00:02:05] Ok, so church. We grew up, but we and I knew you. You were like Lori Kennedy, incredible worship leader or ministry lady. So I knew who you were. But when I was what, probably 16 or 17, I got to go with you to Romania on a mission trip. And so that’s like about the best way to get to know someone so just fell in love with you there and had the privilege to go back one more time. But I don’t think you were with us that time, but I wasn’t. But just, I mean, just your influence on me has been incredible. And then you introduced me to Ali as well, who’s become one of my closest friends. So really a gift?

Speaker3: [00:02:35] Ali Well, how do we know each other?

Speaker1: [00:02:37] I’m your daughter in law. Oh, I was just like the obligation person to come on today.

Speaker3: [00:02:42] So well, what changes are getting ready to happen in your life?

Speaker1: [00:02:45] Well, I’m about 25 days out from having my second child. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Second girl. Yes, super excited. We’ve got a one and a half year old already, so pray for us, please. Thank you. Yeah, big stuff. Big stuff.

Speaker3: [00:02:59] That’s awesome. Well, Brielle, I don’t know you very well yet, but I want to get to know you tell us about yourself.

Speaker4: [00:03:06] Well, I just turned twenty five. I had a birthday this past weekend, so that’s exciting. I guess I am working full time and finance. I just bought a house a few months ago.

Speaker3: [00:03:20] Congratulations.

Speaker4: [00:03:21] Yes, thank you.

Speaker3: [00:03:22] That’s awesome. Well, how did you get started singing?

Speaker4: [00:03:26] Wow. Well, I’ve been singing for literally ever like since I was a kid. Love to sing. I started getting involved, leading worship when I was, I guess my first time was probably a middle school is when I like started leading worship, getting involved in church with music. And then ever since then, I’ve just been leading a church with youth groups and now I’m at the factory. And so I lead on Sunday mornings there and love it.

Speaker3: [00:03:53] Ok. Awesome. And do you play any instruments?

Speaker4: [00:03:56] I can play keys, but I’m not very good at it. So yeah, I don’t like I’m not a professional, any instrument. But yeah, I can sit in my room and like play keys and sing a little bit.

Speaker3: [00:04:07] Do you write at all?

Speaker4: [00:04:08] I don’t. I’ve tried and I have written a couple of things and I think I’m proud of, but I’ve tried.

Speaker3: [00:04:15] Well, we’re going to write a jingle after this is over, right? I got to

Speaker1: [00:04:18] Leave. I got to go get a quick meeting after this. Sorry. No, I’m here for it. You know that? Well, how did you get started? Oh gosh. My my whole family saying, like my grandma was an opera singer and both my siblings on my dad’s side sang. And so when I was born, they were just like, Does she sing? And I started singing. But I got started in worship. Other than my dad being a pastor for my whole life, I didn’t really do much worship music until I was probably 18 or 19. And now I get to lead at our church, which, you know, Momentum Church on Sundays. So it’s pretty awesome.

Speaker3: [00:04:54] Yeah. Ok, that was Ali. And now, Abby, how about you?

Speaker2: [00:04:57] Yeah. So my whole family is not interested in music, so I didn’t really come from it, but I just realized I like to sing and was interested in it. So I kind of started playing around with some instruments and starting to sing. I’m not good at any of them. Like spoiler, it’s not good, but picked up a ukulele when I was in middle school and thought it was just the coolest thing. And so seeing a little bit at church kind of got to be known as like a musician. And right about the time I was starting high school, my another spoiler, my. Us now came to Woodstock, and he just wanted to get students involved, so I got sort of leading worship when I was 14 and really that’s where my love and just desire to do music just kind of developed. So I’ve been doing that since I was 14.

Speaker3: [00:05:41] And what church do you?

Speaker2: [00:05:43] Oh, I’m at First Baptist Church, Woodstock.

Speaker3: [00:05:45] Ok, awesome. Well, all those are amazing churches in Woodstock, Momentum and First Baptist and the factory, and we are just grateful that you guys are here today. What? Tell me a little about in any of you can speak up. Just tell us who you are when you speak up, because there’s so many similar voices

Speaker2: [00:06:02] As I go lower if you want

Speaker1: [00:06:05] Picking up.

Speaker3: [00:06:06] Yeah, that reminds me of what we were going to sing. Y’all are going to sing. Oh yeah, so let’s do that real quick. Ok? All right, you ready? All right. You want me to count down? Yeah, sure. Please. One two.

Speaker1: [00:06:25] No, don’t count. Don’t count on us. I’ll just start us all day.

Speaker2: [00:06:28] Ok, that’s doing it, girls.

Speaker1: [00:06:31] Amazing Grace. How sweet the sound. Let’s see. Guys like me, I once was lost, but now. Oh, I am found was blind, but now.

[00:07:09] I see. I lost a

Speaker1: [00:07:16] Little too high. I was like on my notes are like, No,

Speaker2: [00:07:22] This is live on air. This is real life.

Speaker3: [00:07:24] Well, it sounded great. What did you think, Stone? I thought it was fantastic. Thanks.

Speaker1: [00:07:29] The name we started laughing about half truths, though it is

Speaker2: [00:07:34] Behind the scenes. I love it.

Speaker3: [00:07:36] So funny. Let’s start with you, Ali. What is your most memorable moment on stage?

Speaker1: [00:07:42] Oh gosh, I could go like a funnier I could go a serious. I guess it just depends.

Speaker3: [00:07:48] Funny.

Speaker1: [00:07:49] Oh, I thought I thought you’d big serious. Well, I don’t think that was on stage, but that was a pretty funny moment that we just had in the in the room. As far as far as more serious ones go, I actually I got saved singing on stage, singing worship, music, which is pretty interesting. I recently have like kind of divulged into that because I got saved when I was eight, got saved again when I was 14. Kind of like rededicated my life. But when I got involved at momentum, one of our old worship leaders, like asked me to start worshiping there, and I was like, No, he was like, please. And I was like, OK, so I was actually, I was in the position of leading worship before I even like knew the gravity of what that meant for me. And so I don’t know if it was one specific moment or if it was just over the course of months, but God just started doing a work in my life through that. And now I look back and I can see a very clear distinction between me before that time and me after that time. And I give that to being able to worship on stage.

Speaker2: [00:08:49] So awesome.

Speaker3: [00:08:49] That’s awesome. I do feel like there are different times for those of you who were raised in the church, I do feel like there are different. You have a different understanding of who God is to you. At age eight than you do at 16. So it’s perfectly normal to have another encounter. Yeah, because you you are much more able to understand

Speaker1: [00:09:10] Things and you see you see those like those big stories people have where they’re like, Oh, I was a prisoner and I had just everything was changed for me. And like, So your whole life, you’re like, looking for that big aha moment, especially if you grow up in the church. But it just ends up kind of being something that after time you’re like, Oh, wow, I can definitely see where that changed for me. Like, maybe I didn’t not believe and then start believing, but it still was like a big moment, you know?

Speaker3: [00:09:35] Right, right, right. Yeah. What about you, Breel? Most memorable moment on stage?

Speaker4: [00:09:41] My most memorable moment. The first the first thought that comes to mind is a few years ago, I had gone through like a really tough season in life, and I had cling to these two worship songs that I just literally listened to on repeat for days and days and days months. And about six months after what I had gone through, I got to lead those songs at church. And to me, that was just a really special moment because I was bringing what what was personal and my personal time with God to be able to share with my church and the congregation and get to lead those songs. So that was a really cool moment. And I just remember like. Even God in that moment, just saying, look at where I’ve brought you from and what I’ve brought you through and how I’ve been faithful even through the struggles of life. And so it was just a really cool moment to be able to share that.

Speaker2: [00:10:35] That’s awesome.

Speaker3: [00:10:36] What were those songs?

Speaker4: [00:10:38] Yeah, the two songs. So it’s yes, I will buy elevation worship and then Psalm. Twenty three. I’m not alone, and I can’t remember who does that song, but those were like my staple songs for months and months and months, and I still like to this day. We’ll just like, sit in my car crying, listening to those songs because they’re so good. Yeah, so it was a really cool moment.

Speaker3: [00:11:00] That’s awesome. Thank you for sharing. What about you, Miss Abbey?

Speaker2: [00:11:03] Yeah. So I’ve had the privilege for the past few years to be involved with a women’s conference called Favored Women’s Conference, and it’s awesome. And I love leading worship for like a normal congregation, but I think we all would agree. Like just singing for women, there’s just like a tenderness and a sweetness. But this last September we had one and these honestly, these past few years for me have really been such gifts. And just like honestly, I would really consider these like just mountaintop years of just kind of feeling like the culmination of years I’ve poured into Woodstock and kind of getting to be in this role. And also just, you know, obviously like meeting my husband. And I just remember this moment on one of the mornings. It was one of our last mornings it was all the ladies are there, they’re they’re engaged and they’re we’re all emotional, right? Because we just are. We’re crying and you know, right? And I mean, I’m on stage with just all of my closest friends leading worship. And then to my right is my was my fiance at the time, and it was just it’s just such a sweet moment, like you said, just to kind of like take in the Lord’s faithfulness to you. And so that one’s pretty much stuck on my head is a really, really sweet moment for me.

Speaker3: [00:12:09] Oh, that’s awesome. I would love to talk about mentorship for a minute. Cool. Just both in reference to, well, I’d like and just say your name when you answer, but answer in any order you want. But I want to know. Whether you how you feel mentorship applies, like how is it important to you and do you feel like it’s important to both do it with others as well as have it done with you? And then who are your mentors? And are you working on that from both both angles where you’re mentoring others and they’re mentoring you? I know that was a big mouthful. Sorry. So.

Speaker2: [00:12:46] This is Abby, I can start. So this is something big on my heart, so I am on staff at First Baptist Woodstock as our student worship coordinator, and I really I started fresh out of college and kind of as a surprise. And so as I’ve kind of walked it, it’s just developed for me. And as I’ve grown in my role, I’ve kind of realized, honestly, I’m probably like the only worship pastor in the world who like, does not really like music that much like, I don’t love music, I don’t have to write. But I mean, I truly love God’s word and I love I love pastoring and I love mentorship. And so it took me a few years to kind of get into that. But now that I have what I’m so grateful for about the stage and about leading worship is that it? Honestly, it almost like gains trust with people, which is such a gift. So it gains trust with me, with these young girls that are sitting with us or just in our congregation. And so that’s been a huge gift to really try to steward that. So mentorship is pretty much the biggest part of my role in my opinion at our church.

Speaker2: [00:13:45] I mean, this morning I had coffee with a girl, but I have a few that I really tried to consistently meet with. I probably have three girls that I have like a weekly thing with. But then any of our worship leaders I try to meet with on at least a monthly basis, just be involved and know about their life. And I think the sweet thing about that is it’s just so spirit inspired. It’s so personal, and it’s it’s just really such a gift to have gotten to grow up and worship waiting and then help develop other people and see, you know, just these budding desires to be a worship leader like, you know, even just putting walks at the ward, like starting to hear God’s spirit or starting to like it, love his word. It’s just so cool to see, and I’m grateful to get to foster that. And I’ve I’ve I’ve actually prayed for a woman to mentor me for a long time and didn’t really feel like God gave me one person. Just kind of even like Missouri, just like helped highlight for me different people who had really poured into me, but recently, kind of like by happenstance, this lady that I’ve known for a long time with a church named Karen has really started to consistent like she pretty much has pursued me for years to, like, be in some sort of discipleship with her.

Speaker2: [00:14:49] And so we try to meet once every few weeks, and she’s just awesome. She’s like pretty much the queen of discipleship, I think is her title like I would call it. I just feel like I literally officially know, but just has such an incredible love for God’s word, incredible love for people, and is just so real and genuine. So I really try to, especially as I’m growing in discipleship others. It’s awesome and I’m grateful for it, but it’s also heavy. I mean, it’s people’s real stuff that’s going on right and real questions and real burdens, especially with these girls that are 16 17. And, you know, I’m just barely about to be twenty five and I’m like, Do I know, like, can I do I have the authority to speak into this? Like, do I know? So I really lean on God’s spirit. But Karen’s also such a resource for me to know how to love what other people. Well, so that’s my answer.

Speaker1: [00:15:36] That’s good. I want to pay you back off that a little bit because I’ve had the privilege of getting to sing and lead at First Baptist with Abbey, partly because of all the connections Lori introducing us and all of that. And you know this, obviously, but you’ve been a big mentor to me and a lot of ways. She really just she does a really good job of making people feel important and just being so generous with the privilege of getting to sing there. Like, I think as girls, we can all say like it, coming from a performance based background and feel like a worship background. It’s been very different, but it’s very easy to feel threatened by other women, especially other women worshipers, because you, like, want to be the one that gets chosen to sing that song, you know? But Abbey has done such a good job just cultivating like a team atmosphere there, and that’s something that I’m able to then take back to my church and try to cultivate as well, which I think is really awesome. And with that, I feel like I am just kind of entering a season of looking for more opportunities to disciple and not be disciple, because I did mention I was performing before I was worshiping, and it’s very different. So I’ve been blessed to have people like Laurie, a girl. Hannah Johnson at our church is sticking out to me right now who’s just they just have that heart for worship and they kind of have taught me what that means and how to use that as a tool and how it’s how powerful it is and how much it can, you know, Trump the enemy and all of that stuff. So I’m excited. I feel like I’m starting to get to a point where I can pour into others more than I could before because I actually have the knowledge to back it up, which is really nice.

Speaker4: [00:17:09] So, yeah, and I agree with Ali. I think I’m also kind of in a season of life where I’ve always had a heart and a passion to pour into younger women. And so I think. That’s something that I I’ve done before, and I kind of took a break from that just being in college and but now I’m always looking for opportunities and, you know, praying for God to put people into my life that I can pour into and just build a relationship with. And I think at my church, like, we have a leadership team. So I would consider a lot of those, like some of my mentors that I look up to. And then my best friend, Nicole, she’s she’s amazing. And I literally prayed for a friend like her for years and like, God bless me. She’s my roommate. She’s great. She also leads worship, and so she’s like a really big impact on my life and just keeping me accountable and walking through life together, like just doing every day together. And so I’m very thankful for her and just getting to have a relationship with someone who can connect on all aspects of life with me. And I think that’s really awesome to have people that you know, you can pour into and then also learn from and, you know, grow with. So that’s where I’m at.

Speaker3: [00:18:27] That’s awesome. I I know we kind of touched on this a little bit, but being on stage puts you in front of people where they look up to you, especially, I mean, all people of all ages. But but specifically, younger girls are looking up to you and are looking to you, and that’s pretty heavy. How do you use that influence in the community?

Speaker4: [00:18:54] I can start, I think for me, I yell, Yes, this is Breo I, I always keep in mind that, you know, I want to be the same person on stage and off stage. I don’t want to be one person at church and then one person at home. And my goal is just to like in everything I do everywhere I go. I just want to be a white and I just want to glorify God in my actions, my words and ultimately, and I was telling you this a little bit last week, I think Laurie is that my goal is just to love people. And I know, especially with things that have gone on in the last couple of years in this world, like there’s been a lot of division and I just want to be someone that can be a light and be show Christ through my love and through my actions and how I am with people. So I just try to keep that in mind, no matter what I’m doing, where I am is that I do have influence, whether I want to or not. And I just want to show Christ in everything I do and bring glory to him. And, you know, keep that in mind in my daily walk in life.

Speaker2: [00:20:02] Yeah. This is Abby. But I totally agree with that. I think it’s been especially interesting to me in the past few years with social media. Just it’s it’s always like easy for people to maybe misinterpret things you do in life, but social media, it’s like it’s almost hard to like, get your point across in the right way. And it’s just like really balancing that. I’m so grateful for the influence that I have and that the stage does give me that trust with people. It does give me that influence over people’s lives. But I mean, it makes you be cautious about what you post, what you say, which I mean and things. It seems like innocuous or things that like wouldn’t matter, but it’s just always worth it to make sure what you’re posting is or what you’re posting or what you’re doing. What you’re saying publicly is uplifting and, like you said, lines up with my values and I’m walking that somehow with someone girls that I mentor where they’ll post something. And it’s just it’s what everyone else is doing. And it’s just the song that was playing in the background or whatever and really encouraging them with like, what a gift it is, where we’re on stage in God’s house. I mean, that’s a huge deal. Our platform problems a huge deal. And so making sure all that we’re doing leaves no questions in people’s minds. It leaves no reason to like, wonder or like, you know, just always is clear and always uplifting to other people I love.

Speaker1: [00:21:15] This is Ali. I was last to go, but I still felt like I need to say it. No, it’s it’s so true. I think it’s also it’s accountability. A lot to something I’ve in developing my relationship with Christ. I find that it’s like if I’m not going to worship at home, I shouldn’t be worshiping on the stage. So getting into that kind of cycle of obedience and really making sure that the genuinely is there and that I am who I am on stage and off stage, that’s the biggest thing. I think that is the most important thing to me because my least favorite thing growing up in churches is, you know, kind of loving a pastor, loving something that a pastor said. And then the pastor’s walking off stage and you’re like, Oh, they’re not like, you talk to them and you’re like, That’s not the same spirit that I saw on that stage. Like, something has changed just in the moment that you walk down those steps. So I think trying to find the balance of being genuine on stage and genuine offstage and, you know, not deflecting things and not being afraid to have those like tough conversations because you find yourself getting approached by people a lot with really heavy stuff. Yeah. And it’s like, why does that happen to me? But you know, you’re you’re leaving church and somebody is like, Hey, so-and-so just died, can you pray for me? And you’re like, Whoa, you know, like, that’s that’s tough, but you have to be you have to be genuine. You have to be willing to take that time and, you know, pray with them and be open to speaking life. If you feel led and all of that, you

Speaker2: [00:22:37] Know, I this is Abby again. I love what you just said. I say that a lot to girls that I disciple who that are some of our worship leaders is just like, honestly, the worship leading moment is the tip of the iceberg. If you think about it, right? That’s the that’s the tip of the iceberg of the week that you spent in the word or walking with the Lord or praying with people or in community, because then you get on stage and it’s got to just be the overflow, right? And I honestly think for a long time, I’m grateful that I started young leading worship. But also, I can think back to honestly years that I had improper motivations or like getting up there and thinking of times that I was like, I want to be really spiritual right now. So I’ll say this thing. And and it is just so much richer to be in a season where I get on stage with something to say and something to sing and something to worship about. Because I spent my time in the world this week, I spent this time with the Lord. This week I’m I’m full and I’m overflowing on stage, and I think that can be a misconception, you know, and sometimes something we miss.

Speaker1: [00:23:34] Yeah.

Speaker4: [00:23:35] For me, this is Breo, but I I notice a difference when I’m up on stage leading worship, and I haven’t spent time with God that week because I’m like, I’m I feel like I’m giving out of an empty tank. And so I always try to be intentional during my weeks, whether that’s through having. My own personal worship or doing my devotional or whatever it is, because I want to be able to to actually have something to give on a Sunday morning, and I always try to keep in mind, like when I’m up there, it’s not about me. I like my prayer. Almost every week is God. I pray that you will increase and I will decrease because I don’t want people to see me up on stage. I want them to see God through me and allow him to use me in those moments.

Speaker1: [00:24:24] Totally. That’s real that this is Ali. Again, that’s something that I’m in a season of, too. Like just I’ve said it many times, but coming from performing to worshiping like it completely changes the motivation about what you’re doing. And my biggest fear, just as a worshiper, is to be in a place where I feel like it’s about me. And the enemy recently has been heavily using that on me and trying to be like, It is about you, you’re doing this for you, blah blah blah. All that stuff, fun stuff in your head all the time. But I think it’s so it’s so much easier to fight the enemy. When you are read up and you’ve got the word in your heart and you’ve got those prayers down, you’ve already kind of prepped for that. And then you find yourself there just being like, You are so small, you know, and God is so big and this is this is silly. Get out of my head, you know, write seriously.

Speaker2: [00:25:10] And I think it’s zabi again. And like you were saying, all that you said was very sweet, but thinking about that like team atmosphere that we want to have at a church, right? Like the quickest way to walk that is for me to be selfish, for me, to be focused on me and for beautiful, talented Ali Canada to come in with her incredible voice. And I’m like, I’m going to, I’m going to fight you. Don’t sing my songs, you know, like that.

Speaker1: [00:25:29] You just get

Speaker2: [00:25:30] That. I mean, honestly, that’s the spirit that we can get into. Sometimes right is just like, I do want to shine. I want to I want you to hear me. I want this like attention. I want this moment. And it’s so from the enemy. Like, if you think about the fruit of that, like it’s just straight up from the enemy. But being able to walk in with the spirit of just all about Jesus and connect and all about even beyond that just others and end the people that are near you and worshiping with you. It just it robs you of any sort of like, you know, selfishness in that so, so important. And in fact, so much

Speaker3: [00:26:01] So each of you are individuals with not only your individual gifts, but the individual way that you. Show them to the world, how does your individuality show up in your worship? I know that’s kind of a hard question. So like. The uniqueness that you are. Versus somebody else singing that same song, like, what do you do that’s different than someone else, like, for example, we run an automotive shop, and so I get asked all the time what makes you different than someone else? And I say, Well, we, you know, have quality and integrity and honesty, and we try to treat our employees and our customers like family. Yeah.

Speaker2: [00:26:47] I would say that I have quality in tech, what else did you say? I’m just getting

Speaker1: [00:26:50] Quality.

Speaker3: [00:26:51] Ok. No, no, no, no. Here was honesty. I have honesty,

Speaker2: [00:26:59] Integrity, integrity and quality. And I treat my employees. I’m just I’m just kidding. You know, honestly, what came to mind when you said that I like, I kind of said, I’m coming to terms with, I’m not your worship pastor who knows what the number system is, and I don’t. I can play about five chords on the guitar. And so I’m not musically like there, and I really had to come to terms with being, you know, wanting to be more pastoral and real and loving God’s word. And I’m like, Where did you put me in this position to do music? But I love your words. So how does that work? But really, I think for me, maybe this doesn’t apply to just exactly singing songs, but I really tried to be like, you know, the word like, no, the scripture behind the songs. So I feel or even things connecting to it, I always try to really have that in my heart because that’s what I love. It’s what I love. It’s what I feel like words gifted me with. And so especially in our environs where I’m more free, I try to be like, Read up. And I think that is something different about kind of how I approach worship. And also, I am. I don’t know if you can like, read this on this. I’m like lighthearted and goofy and awkward, and I mess up words and I’m like, I’m pretty silly and I’m but I think I’m pretty comfortable in my skin. And I think that can when that plays some benefit because it makes other people more comfortable in their skin. And I think approaching leading worship like that is good, too. I’m definitely not your most polished worship leader. I cry through about half of every song that we do.

Speaker1: [00:28:25] If you’re laughing, it’s like very true. I cry all the time

Speaker2: [00:28:28] When we sing. So I’m really trying to knowing that that’s how I approach life, it’s how I approach conversations. It’s how I also try to approach leading worship in that way for me to and I think I’ve definitely been come to known as to come to be known as the crier at our church and the. But, you know, just in that way, just trying to be authentic and be myself.

Speaker4: [00:28:47] Yeah. Going off of what Abby said, I think I try to be very intentional. This is real. When when I’m on stage because I don’t want to get up there and just be singing a song, I want to whatever the songs are that we’re doing that week, I want to find how that can connect to me so that I’m able to deliver and really be up there worshiping myself. Like, I’m not just up there singing and leading like, I want to be up there also worshiping. And so I try to be mindful of that. Every week when we have songs is like, I’m going to spend time with these songs and connecting to them and finding the purpose that they have in my life and what they mean to me. And I’m also I’m very I’m a very quiet person. So when it comes to talking, I’m not good at that. So I try to use, you know, God, let God use me in those moments. And sometimes I’m like, They’re terrified. You know, still, to this day, I’ll get nervous sometimes, but I just have to remember, like, God is using me and it’s not about me, it’s not about me. And so just having that reminder, I think that can bring a little more authentic ness. Is that a

Speaker3: [00:29:59] Word authenticity,

Speaker4: [00:30:01] Authenticity to my worship because I don’t want it to be about me. I don’t want it to be just me up there singing, so I try to keep that in mind.

Speaker1: [00:30:10] That’s good. This is Ali. I feel like I’m still really learning about what makes me unique as a person. I feel like that, especially when I was just beginning the journey of learning how to worship like it was almost like every time I got up on that stage, I could feel God telling me a little bit more about who he was, an intern who I am. And so I think through that, I’ve been able to kind of build my confidence as not only just a worshiper, but as a woman. And I think that I found just power in the declaration of worship. And I feel like that that when when things are shining the most for me is when there’s a song that is just absolutely like reminding me it’s repetitive and it’s just saying, you know, like, God is good. God is good things like that that I can just continue to just like pound in. And that’s that’s when I get personally the most excited and the most giddy and jumpy and all of those good things. I don’t really jump right now, but I used to jump a little bit of a hop. I kind of we’re currently early, but I used to jump.

Speaker3: [00:31:14] I figured that was going to be your most embarrassing moment on stage. You know myself at the revival.

Speaker1: [00:31:19] Yeah. I’m just

Speaker3: [00:31:20] Saying, if you did, I didn’t say, you did say you

Speaker1: [00:31:23] Did. Yeah, I’m joking about it. I was like, I’m not going to tell anyone. And then I got off stage and I was like, Guys, I beat myself on the radio show and you said, Guys, I feed myself. Listen, we’re on the air. I don’t know. You know, people are hearing this. You haven’t carried a child. You haven’t carried your second child. You can’t say anything about like 15 pounds on your bladder at all times and your jump. And I wear black pants a lot right now.

Speaker3: [00:31:50] They have these things called depends.

Speaker2: [00:31:52] I know. Please.

Speaker1: [00:31:54] Wow. So. We’re actually going to have to go pick. Really? Yeah. In Prep.

Speaker3: [00:32:04] And so as iron sharpens, I will make it serious again, right? I was given an iron sharpens iron. How do you find like minded people to spend time with? That’s cool.

Speaker1: [00:32:15] Good question. This is Ali. I can take this one. Do it. I really can. Man, I think prayer has been the biggest thing for me. Just like wanting so badly, like to have people around me that I can do life with. And that like what you were talking about with your friend Nicole, like that are just ironed for you and that want the same things that you want. And it’s just been so sweet to see how God has just like delivered people through connection. I think that’s the biggest thing. Like the more the more involved I’ve gotten with people in my church, the more people I’ve met. That’s how I got to meet Abby. That’s how I know my best friend, All-Bran. Just people like that that you can really just do life with. I think that just prayer and like diligently asking God like, I need people in my life like this. I need somebody like this in my life. I’ve seen God just like, give me the fruit of that in so many ways. And it’s just crazy, because sometimes you don’t even notice it until you’re in it. And then you’re like, Oh my gosh, that’s exactly what I prayed for. Wow, you know?

Speaker3: [00:33:10] Yeah, they say, you’re like the five people that you spend the most time with. And so I want to make sure that I’m being very careful about who those people are.

Speaker2: [00:33:20] Holly, I would say this is Abby, something you said. Ali really struck a chord with me, but I think it’s true. God loves community. I mean, it’s his heart. And one thing I’ve really learned recently, Steph, that’s God’s heart. He’s just, I mean, he’s our friend with it and so we can ask him for stuff. But you said you said sometimes you don’t even notice it until you’re in it. And I think for me, I’ve grown up at First Baptist Woodstock since I was two pretty much been my community. And honestly, like, you know, different people have come and gone and moved away and friends. And I think every season I’m like, Well, you know, there’s just it’s the same people here, but asking God to give me eyes to see there’s people that I like grew up, you know, near barely knew. And now there’s some of our closest friends like me and my husband or I have an intern right now who’s awesome. But she was one of my students, like when I first started my job, and now she’s one of my closest friends and awesome to see the fruit of what the words I’ve done in her life and in our friendship. And it’s just sweet how much she wants to help us, you know, with that to find the right people.

Speaker1: [00:34:21] He’s even this is Ali again, are just following up. He’s even like taking friends in my life, like my best friend Alex. She has. I’ve known her since middle school, but we weren’t really friends until high school and we literally became friends because all of our friends graduated and we just had each other and we were like, Well, we have nothing in common. Let’s just be friends. It’s fine and it’s just crazy because now she’s one of my only friends that I’ve known my whole life. That’s in the exact same walk of life that I’m in. Like, we go to the same church. We’re both married young like she wants kids, probably more than I wanted kids. And it’s just it’s just so cool how God can shape people that you didn’t think would be like that into that for you, especially if you’re diligent and prayer on it.

Speaker4: [00:34:58] But yeah, I think for me, I’m going a season of life where it actually is harder for me to meet people because I’m not in school anymore. I mean, I have my church, but I don’t really do a lot other than like work and I have the friends I have. So I think for me, even just saying yes to things like this, because this is totally out of my comfort zone, but we’re building connections and like I’ve known about you each other since, like middle school, but I haven’t seen each other in years. And so you were

Speaker2: [00:35:25] Getting coffee next week, I decided I just, you

Speaker4: [00:35:27] Know, so like even just like meeting you guys and like getting to catch up. And I think things like this are really awesome to just like sometimes you just have to step out of your comfort zone to meet people and do things like this, to build relationships and be intentional and follow up with people. So I think for me, I’m just in a season of my life where I am really just praying that God will bring more of those people into my life because I have my core group. But I’m always looking to build relationships with people and connect with people. Awesome.

Speaker3: [00:35:58] Yeah. So I I know that God works every day and every single one of our lives, but I think that we have to look for it in order to see it or find it, which I’m not always amazing at, but I do know that. So I try. What is God doing in your life right now?

Speaker2: [00:36:20] Is this cool? Okay, I’ll start here. This is Abby. I was saying this to Ali on her couch last week. I this has been a really sweet season for me. I I honestly, we go through different seasons here in the words voice and not and struggling. But right now I really do feel like he’s like speaking like a little too much. Like, I’m like, I want to say, mean thing to my husband. And he’s like, Don’t? And I’m like, Oh, let

Speaker1: [00:36:44] Me go like

Speaker2: [00:36:45] I really am feeling. His spirit on my heart, and I’m I’m so grateful for that my journal right now is full of I was thinking about this to state. I went to the word and I got this. And so right now I’m really trying to listen to his voice, but it’s and I think I’m growing in that, which is really cool. But a lot of times I’ll hear him say a word or give me a picture and I’m like, That’s it. That’s what you’re saying right now. I’ll go for it. We’ll talk later once I’ve gotten to the destination. And that is not what walking with God is. It’s walking hand and hand with him, hand in hand with him and in step with him and listening to his voice and hearing him say stuff and asking him about it, saying When now how much? How would you like me to like, you know, it’s walking in step with him and being faithful when he pulls you the directions right now? I mean, I’m recently married, so as awesome. But you know, it’s like the season.

Speaker2: [00:37:38] I’m dreaming about the future, right? So my husband and I are like, When’s kids am I? Am I going to stay here at my job? Are you going to stay at your job or are we going to do this? Or are we going to do this? Do you want to move to California or Greece? Or, you know, we’re doing all the commerce, all the dreaming and all the conversations, and it’s cool to walk that with the word, but I think I’m quick to hear a word and say, All right, this is what he’s saying. Let’s do it. As you know, take this step, but it’s really cool to get to just walk with the Lord and hear him excite parts of my heart, speak dreams over my future, but not give me the timeline. So I just get to kind of walk with him with it all in front of him, right? So that’s kind of where I’m at right now, just learning to actually listen to what he’s saying and just walk in step with him. Yeah, I

Speaker4: [00:38:18] Like what you said about, you know, God doesn’t always give us a timeline. I feel like right now I’m in a season of just kind of a waiting period. And it’s been there’s moments from like, God, where’s my husband? Because I’m, you know, I’m single right now, and I feel like a lot of people around me are getting married or getting engaged or having kids, and it’s easy to feel like I’m falling behind. But through this season of Just Waiting, God has been very faithful, and he constantly is reminding me like, look at where I’ve brought you from and look at what I’ve brought you through and look at how good I’ve been through all seasons of your life. And so I think, you know, God, we don’t always know his timeline, but I know that his plan for me and his purpose for my life is good. And I just have to remember that, you know, things don’t always happen the way I want them to. And just keeping in mind that, like, I wouldn’t want them to happen my way anyway because my plan is not as good as God’s plan for my life is. So that’s just something I’m like constantly being reminded of is that, you know, I may be in a different season right now, but God is still good and he’s still faithful. And even on days where I just want to like Cry and I’m like, Why God? Why? Like, he’s he’s good and he has a purpose for me. And so I just have to use this time in my life to still bring glory to God. And maybe there’s someone that I can encourage through a waiting period as well.

Speaker1: [00:39:55] I think that’s cool. This is Ali. I feel like that that’s so real to everybody like that. One of the biggest parts of my testimony is the God’s really overcome a lot of anxiousness in my life. Like I used to say, I have anxiety now. I say I get anxious because there’s totally a difference in the power of the tongue and what you say. But in that literally as soon as I started like getting tools from the Lord to be able to walk out like healthy thoughts and healthy amounts of stress, he was like, OK, you’re going to get married, you’re going to have two kids, you’re going to buy a house and you’re going. And I was like, OK, I hate change. I hate it. But I feel like I’m just a season of just constant adjustment all the time and I’m tired. But it’s been just the sweetest of things and the things that people are like wanting for and wishing for, and I wouldn’t change anything. But I think the biggest thing that I’m in, right, the second is just being able to look back and I know I can feel the faith that I have that although, you know, this change is coming rapidly, you know, it’s going to be OK in the end.

Speaker1: [00:40:57] And I’ve seen I’ve seen God’s faithfulness before. So to actually be able to sit back and rely on that and not not have that anxiousness like my body literally like wants to be anxious so bad about it. And then I’m like, Oh, wait, like, no, I already like, we’ve gone through this before, but it is. It’s I know, I know where I start, I know where I end, but it’s like the period in between. That’s hard for me because I want to just be angry or I just want to be, you know, I want to be angry or I want to be amazing. And and it’s hard to just like know that it’s kind of up and down in between, like while you’re walking to that point and while you’re getting there. But like really just being able to like, sit in the sweetness of God and be like, OK, yeah, no, just one day at a time. Like, I know where I’m going. Just get me there, you know?

Speaker2: [00:41:39] Right, right. Oh, good.

Speaker3: [00:41:41] So if you’ve made like a big mistake on stage. What would that look like and how would you recover?

Speaker1: [00:41:50] I already told my Laurie. No, I’m sorry.

Speaker3: [00:41:53] Well, you didn’t have a puddle on the floor or anything.

Speaker1: [00:41:56] No one ever needed to know. But I have to tell everyone everything. You know, I feel the.

Speaker2: [00:42:02] Man, I would say for me, I am forgetful and I say the wrong thing, and I’m clumsy as all get out and I drop stuff in a break stuff and I’m not a good guitar player. So the chances of me getting out of a service unscathed with all the right chords, all the right words and not falling from one way or the other. That’s a pretty tough, but for me, I’m grateful. Like I said earlier, I think my my giftedness is my comfortability, so most of my venues that I’m in has just they just know they just come to expect, let me do it, they let me roll off and let me sing the wrong words. Mess up, fall down, whatever. Let me do it. But I mean, I think I took it and come down with it. I’ve never fallen. I have never fallen flat. I have tripped major before.

Speaker3: [00:42:49] Do you like just go to your knees and pretend like you’re worshiping,

Speaker1: [00:42:53] Falling out and spirits? So I swear to God this is Ali. I think the hardest thing for me in those moments is like, I deflect to joking when I’m uncomfortable and it’s very, very hard for me to recover from any major faux pas on the stage in a way that I can like bring it back to being spirit minded, like I want to kind of be like, you know, and this my stuff. I’ve never said that, but I’m thinking of this time when we had second service and our drummer and our bass, no, our drummer and our lead guitarist decided to go to copper coin and between the services, and they weren’t back in time for the second service. No. Yes. And like, nobody knew until it was too late and I was just standing on stage and everybody was just kind of looking around and I was like, anyone seen our drummer like we were on stage with no anyone and we just kind of stood there for a bit. And then our worship pastor in all his glory actually came up and he drummed so he can do everything. The first song and a half was him, and then they had like a switch. Yeah, but see, in that moment, it’s like, it’s really it’s hard to be like, OK, no, we’re here to worship. Like, That’s funny, and I want to laugh about that the whole rest of the service. But I can’t keep making jokes about it because, no, it’s OK.

Speaker4: [00:44:05] We love that. Yeah, there’s definitely this is yeah, there’s definitely been multiple times where I’ll come in at the wrong time or sing the wrong note or forget the words or whatever. But I think it’s just, you know, you just keep going and just give yourself grace because it’s hard in those moments for me not to get in my head and be like, Oh, I just messed up the whole song or whatever. So thankfully, I haven’t had any major embarrassing thing happen. Knock on wood.

Speaker1: [00:44:32] Let’s hope this Sunday it’s happening.

Speaker3: [00:44:34] No, no, no. I didn’t. I didn’t call that in determining of the tone.

Speaker4: [00:44:39] Yeah, you just I mean, especially when you’re up there, you know, live in person, like you just got to keep rolling with it. And so it’s just, you know, you keep going, you

Speaker1: [00:44:48] Just keep going and hope nobody notices like,

Speaker3: [00:44:51] You know and the other people don’t.

Speaker2: [00:44:53] Yeah, a lot of times

Speaker4: [00:44:54] People don’t know. So like little things that you may be like, Oh my God, that was such a big, you

Speaker1: [00:44:59] Know, like just because I would notice if I was in the audience doesn’t mean that other people? Right?

Speaker3: [00:45:04] Yeah, totally. I think the average person doesn’t notice most of the things that don’t happen the way they’re supposed to on stage.

Speaker1: [00:45:12] I always ask, Grant, this is Ali. I always ask Grant after. I’m like, Oh, like, did you hear when like, I went, like, blah blah blah or something, you know? And he’s like, what? No, like, I know. And he’s like my gauge. Like, if he noticed like it was probably really bad. Like, if didn’t and we’re probably cool.

Speaker4: [00:45:24] We’re probably a lot harder on ourselves than other people are on us. Like people don’t notice, but it’s hard not to like, beat yourself up sometimes about things that you do on stage. So it’s just like a reminder of like, it’s OK. Yeah, like, it’s not about me.

Speaker3: [00:45:40] Yeah, yeah. There’s a balance between being a perfectionist, but yet still being diligent and in preparation.

Speaker2: [00:45:46] Totally, totally. And that’s where, again, it’s like the fruit on stage of what you’ve done throughout the week, not only spiritually but also in preparation. And I know when I haven’t learned a guitar song

Speaker1: [00:45:58] Before the night, like, I’m sorry, Abby’s talking about how she’s bad at guitar. I actually kind of play the guitar and Abby plays,

Speaker2: [00:46:04] No, I like like she will in the mix like they really

Speaker1: [00:46:08] Do, and I just pretend like I can’t play. But I had my

Speaker2: [00:46:12] Guitar came to the wrong key for like a good half of a song. Oh my god, I turn it down and they turn it down. So nobody cared. That’s what I’m saying, right?

Speaker1: [00:46:19] Like, we love the intuitive production team. I know

Speaker3: [00:46:23] They see my

Speaker1: [00:46:23] At the wrong spot. They’re like, Let’s cut it off. Let’s just cut it off. She’s that to everyone.

Speaker2: [00:46:29] It’s good time.

Speaker3: [00:46:30] All right. Last thoughts. Oh, starting with Gabriel,

Speaker4: [00:46:34] Last thoughts about

Speaker3: [00:46:35] What just we’re getting ready to end anything you want to say. Any any message you want to give those who are listening?

Speaker4: [00:46:43] I’m I’m just thankful to be here. Enviable to be a part of this, I think it’s been awesome, even just getting to know Ali and Abby and Lori a little bit better. I guess my parting thoughts would be, you know, whatever season of life you’re in right now. Just trust God and you know things. Walking with God in life is so much better than walking alone. And so, you know, no matter what’s going on in anyone’s life right now or in the world, just cling to God and trust him and put your faith in God because things will always work out in the end how they’re supposed to.

Speaker1: [00:47:19] I love it. Ali, this is Ali Ali. I’m sorry. Are you sure? Yes, I’m 90 percent sure. Well, first off, it has been just a joy to get to know YouTube real seriously. Like not to be weird, but like, let’s all hang out because this was fun. What are you doing after this? Like, what are we? You guys want to go to my house. It’s like eight minutes from here. We can know. But really, it’s been a joy to get to know you today and to get to talk to my ladies as well. And I think basically what Burrell said, she pretty much summed it up. I feel like that was kind of like a very we all kind of are in that same spot in a lot of different ways. But if you’re listening to this and you want to know more about Jesus or you want to just talk about seasons and different things like, I don’t know if our social media stuff is up, but we are all in to listen. So just let us know. And if you also want to come to any of our churches, you can do that too. Shameless plug. I know it’s like

Speaker2: [00:48:17] All all one body, right? Yeah.

Speaker1: [00:48:18] Oh, baby,

Speaker2: [00:48:21] Hey, this is Abby. I’ll give my closing thoughts too seriously. Have loved talking to you so sweet to just hear how the Lord is working in y’all’s life, y’all. Churches and ministries. It’s such a gift. My encouragement would be just cultivate your connection with God’s spirit, cultivate learning how to learn, learning, how to hear from him and hear his voice. I think in whatever field you’re in, if it’s pretty much got anything to do with people at all, which most things do. Hearing God’s voice is so good because he is wise. He knows everyone, everyone’s heart where they’re at. He sees the future. He knows what we can’t see. And so listening to his voice and, like braille said, just trusting in him and what he says is such a gift. And it makes all the difference. So thank you so much for having me. I don’t know if

Speaker3: [00:49:10] I totally had so much fun doing this, and I want to get to know you better 3L as well. And I I want to like, you know, why I want to hang out with you guys. You’re so full of life and so much fun. And I just I’ve just greatly enjoyed it. Thank you guys for being here today.

Speaker2: [00:49:27] Same time next week, please.

Speaker3: [00:49:29] Yes, thank you. Thank you for joining us today on women in business powered by Business RadioX. Until next time, this is Lori Kennedy reminding you to keep learning and growing.