A WOW Moment with Vicki, Anna and Rachel (Date: January 21st 2020 )

We're alive. Okay. It'll be okay. And it will be the first time

I've ever slept like this. Don't worry about being the last. She's like, sorry guys.

It's alright. That's what happens. I shouldn't have eaten dinner beforehand. I know myself better. It's okay.

You have to debate, do I want to have gas or do I want my stomach to growl, which my stomach will growl and you'll have gas so we'll complete each other.

Okay. And I'm left over here to get all the benefits from all of that. Listen and so.

Thanks for volunteering. Thank you guys. It's our gift to you. Good evening everyone and welcome to our

Bible study. Tonight we are at Wynton Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee as most of you already know.

And I'm Vicki and tonight my co -host is Mrs. Rachel Shipley.

Welcome Rachel. I'm in different shoes. Big shoes to fill over here.

You're the co -host tonight so you have responsibilities. Oh my goodness. Don't blow it. But tonight our guest is

Ms. Anna Allen. Anna has been on one other evening and we were at your house last time.

That was fun. We sat on the floor and then I ended up with COVID. Yeah I know. It was.

I had to tell my boss a couple of days after that because you know Donna and everyone works at Evergreen and Donna called me and was like Vicki tested positive for COVID and I was like crap.

So I was like hey Angie I was exposed to somebody and she's like well just stay in your office.

So I had to stay confined in my office and wear an N95. Now it's not a big deal. But you didn't get it did you? I didn't get it.

Not then. I got it in September. But it wasn't me. I don't even know where I got it.

I gave it to Mercedes. I have yet to get it. I need to get it through child birth.

They only test you at the hospital if you're symptomatic. Oh that's surprising.

We've got to run a fever. Did they make you wear a mask? Oh I hope not.

I asked him I said am I going to be forced to wear one. He said he goes recommended.

He goes no forcing though. He said we do encourage daddies a little bit more to try and wear it as much throughout labor as they can.

He goes no we're not holding down mom. Well he can get one of those that's that cloth thing that way you won't bother him as much.

That's what he wears at work because he can't stand the mask. And I told him I said it'll be easy when the nurses come in you can just throw that on and then when they leave you can pull that back down easily.

Right. Well I'm glad you don't have to wear one. You're not forced to. Could you not just like bring it on purpose?

Contractions like I'm going to freaking pass out. Right. Plus she does it with no medication. I told him

I said I could probably handle it through the first few like up to like six centimeters but then

I was like during transition I mean I couldn't even I could barely keep my clothes on. So I was like take this thing off of me.

Well I have to tell you I labored William with nothing. And because we got to the hospital so late and the guy said

Miss Davis you're nine centimeters you know you really don't need. I said Yes I do.

This guy said she's been asking for it since she got here you better get it in her. So they come in and they lean over They actually give you an epidural at nine centimeters?

Yeah that's far. This is the end of the story. I lean over and my mother -in -law is sitting there at the time this is before she passed.

So she's sitting there and I looked at her and I said I think my water just broke. Because I could feel the whoosh.

And she goes don't move, don't move, don't move. So I got the epidural and they get me situated back in the bed.

As soon as he walks out they rush in with the blue the blue table. And I was like wait a minute he said it could take about five to ten minutes before it kicks in.

They said Miss Davis you don't have five to ten minutes that's what we were trying to tell you. And then thank goodness they said where's the dad?

I was like yes he's outside smoking. We have to wait! Somebody go get the dad!

The first push. Wow you're lucky. But the thing was that the laboring part of it was the hardest part

I think. I probably could have went ahead but then when William popped out nine pounds I was like no

I couldn't have done that. And baby goes wee wee. I hear all these stories and I'm like oh my gosh.

We're made for it. I'm a baby. I'm a wimp when it comes to babies.

I really am though. Okay so here's like this is the extent of it.

But this is the extent of it. When I was in nursing school at Babbas College granted

I'm not a nurse but when I was in school I had my AP2 lab and we did blood typing which is figuring out what types of blood and doing all this stuff and we had to do our own blood typing for this lab.

We had to prick our own fingers. I was the only one who could not I had to get my professor to do it.

It was like I was literally I could not get myself to do it and so I asked my teacher can you please prick my finger and she goes yes.

I was the only one in my class. That was just a sign right there that I shouldn't be a nurse.

When I say I can't handle pain I don't like inflicting pain on myself. So there you go.

Learn more about yourself. I told you. Can you see her stressing out in class?

Yes I can. I was like oh my gosh. I just worried myself up too much. I'm just going to do it real fast.

I couldn't do it. Do your neighbor's finger. I'm sorry. I couldn't even get somebody else in.

Oh boy. The more you know. When you do get pregnant we're going to do a lot of praying when you go into labor.

I'm just going to talk to Rachel because I mean she did 40 hours. We don't get you a new one.

I need some help. Give me the drugs. I'm going to be like that guy.

Because my daughter she labored forever and pushed and pushed and pushed and Rachel got so excited because she took photos and she goes oh we can see your hand we can see your hand and what did

Wesley say? Wesley goes she goes that's awesome can you just reach in and pull her out?

It's so funny. Just get her out. The nurse was standing right there she goes no mama that's not how that works.

Just a few more and she'll be out. She ended up having to have a cesarean. What? She had to build up a girl and everything.

It was a hot mess. It was an all day thing. Now that we're done talking about childbirth

I hope we haven't lost anybody. We do have wonderful Anna Allen with us here tonight and she has been, we started on COVID and then we had babies.

Talk about squirreling. Thank goodness the phone hasn't been turned on the whole time because we've been talking about all kinds of stuff.

That will stay private. That's what girl chats for right? That's why this is our bible study.

We turn the phone on when we meet. This is appropriate. I just had to do some yeah.

It's okay. Everything's good. It's okay. You two are a mess.

I had no idea what I was getting myself into. So anyways

Anna you have a verse for us tonight that I think is so appropriate for so many things that's going on and so many people are fanatic right now.

Some people are running around like chickens with their heads cut off. If you get on social media people are just crazy.

You know it's so hard being a I'm not going to say it's hard being a

Christian. During this time it's hard as a Christian to sit back and just there are days

I just sit back and just shake my head and it's like do you not are you not understanding?

Do you not understand what's going on in the earth? I mean in this world in this sphere that we live on.

You know. So anyways so Anna we've already gone over what everybody's role is tonight so so Anna what is the verse you've chosen for this evening?

It is Proverbs 16 9. And Miss Rachel would you read the scripture please?

Yes. The mind of man plans his way but the Lord directs his steps.

So why did you pick this? So for me I've really been focusing on and struggling with God's plan for my life.

Like who hasn't? Like everybody's like oh I just need to know God's plan for my life and you know like all this stuff because we want direction.

We need a path to go down well especially me I'm very type A personality. I have to have a plan

Your personality will morph like that. Yes and so I'm very much like that and with this past year

I went back to school to like finish up pre -reqs prior to applying to the radiology program or like x -ray school at school so I had to go through all that and then

I applied for the program. The cut off date is February 15th. Out of those all the applicants that they have for the program they'll like pick 30 like the highest scoring students out of that 30 they'll interview those people and then they'll pick 20 to go through the program and so I've just really been even like the last few years before Donovan finished school

I knew that I wanted to go back to school because I didn't like not just I didn't want to be like stuck where I was like where I work and so I knew

I wanted to go back to school and do all of that so I was really just trying to figure out a plan for my life and this last year you know

I've done all my pre -reqs. I've applied for the program. Now I just have to wait and that's very frustrating.

Well because even this year like my brother's getting married in May and then we have my

Aisha like my brother gets married May 1st. Aisha and Jeremiah get married that Sunday so I have two weddings in one week and then it's like our anniversary month in April and then we have women's retreat and then my mom wants to go to Cleveland and so I'm like still trying to plan all these things but I can't because I have jury duty in May that's been pushed back since last

April because of COVID and then I don't know if I get into the program when school's going to start so it's just very overwhelming but however the scripture says a man's heart plans his way but the

Lord determines his steps and so that was just really it was convicting for me because I'm like I have no control over what happens and I don't like that to be frank and like and I'm reading other verses and proverbs and it talks about like the wise man will you know plan and like it's good to plan and everything like that but the

Lord determines his steps and it's frustrating because like I said

I'm very type A I like to have a plan and I don't like talking to other people who are not type

A because they just can't get their ducks in a row and it's just very it's a struggle for me.

They live on the whim and I can't do that that's not me. Me personally like if you do that that's fine that's you, you do you but me personally

I cannot function that way and so with that scripture it just really like I said it just really convicted me so I'm like no matter what happens it is for God's glory like all this actually leads me to my scripture that I picked out.

This is a supplemental scripture which is? It's Romans 8 28 through 30

If you want to get there I'll let you guys turn and get there

Romans 8 28 through 30 Go go go

Action I already failed You failed

I was that kid I was like oh my gosh this is too much pressure Okay so Romans 8 28 through 30

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God those who were called according to his purpose for those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son so that he may be the firstborn among many brothers and those he predestined he also called and those he called he also justified and those he justified he also glorified so going back to verse 28 it says we know that all things work together for the good of those who love

God those who were called according to his purpose not your purpose his purpose, his plan and um

I don't know you were talking about like in today's age being a Christian and like just with all the stuff that's happening now with like COVID and you know we have a new president in office and then you have like the capitol all the stuff that has happened here recently is very overwhelming and it's just I keep telling

Donovan I'm just like I'm just waiting for Jesus to come back like we'll be better off I'm just tired of dealing with all of this mess.

I know it's kind of I'm going to shout out to I'm going to shout out to Kaylee real quick because ok

Pastor Josiah is teaching on Revelation right now and his Sunday night Bible study and so we've been going through the different seals and stuff like that when he taught on the locusts and like the description of the locusts like they're going to have hair and faces and stuff y 'all

Kaylee was stressing out so bad she was like are we going to be here when that happens and she was like because what is my window she laughed at Josiah and I were laughing so hard she was like if Jesus doesn't take me with him before the locusts get here that's why you got to get right so you don't have to have the same hat that's what

I told Josiah I said if there's going to be anything that drives anyone in that class to obedience it's going to be the locusts with the face and hair it was so funny sweet Kaylee but even with all of that stuff all of the fears that everybody has about the future

I find myself finding comfort just by meditating on Scripture and just having hope that Jesus is coming like he is coming

I get more hope thinking of what is after this life there will be no more tears, no more pain there won't be sleep which

I'm kind of bummed about there's not going to be night time you're not going to get sleepy I know but I'm sad but sleep is my pastime on earth

I don't know what we're going to eat it seems like we're going to eat a lot of fish or like vegetables because there's not going to be any death so we can't eat meat brother

Jeff won't be able to have his pork chops did you hear that brother Jeff if you're watching he's determined he's going to get pork chops he'll just be oh my gosh just go ahead and kill him again

I'm sorry kill him again what's the next verse you have it kind of goes along these supplemental verses kind of go along with each other the next one is

Galatians 5 .25 since we live by the spirit we must also follow in the spirit and so it kind of goes back with like according to his purpose it's not about us and Dana Sneed and I and I've been thinking about this verse for a couple of days and I thought

I found it today and it's in Proverbs but I cannot remember exactly what it said so I don't really want to put words into a mouth but it was about basically making

God's desires your desires and not the other way around because a lot of the time we're just focused on me me me me me this is what

I want and it's not about the big picture like you're looking at here's the timeline and you're only seeing this little bitty dot over here and not seeing the rest of the stuff that has to happen and so like I said these scriptures were very convicting to me just because like I said

I'm a planner and having to wait and do God's plan but in the end it will benefit me more like I can't see the whole picture because if you don't stay on that path and follow where he's leading you to go and you veer off it's not fun no this reminds me a lot of just the sovereignty of God though because if you are his child he overrules

I think that's what I thought of with the first verse that we did the one in Proverbs that you can have like you can plan out your thoughts you can plan out what you want to do next and stuff but anything that's made a decision that's made outside of his purpose for you which is glorifying himself then he's going to put you which is a good thing but it can be really hard for us to face those facts but he'll because of his sovereignty determine where you're going and that so a lot of times you could plan out

I don't know your career or whatever it is family moving just all kinds of stuff and that doesn't seem to work out somehow some kind of way and that can be hard for us but that's what

I've always wanted to do and then it's like no that's not what the Lord wants you to do and that's hard to face sometimes because we did have

Dana on here and she did no she didn't dang sorry no it's a pre -recording so I can't talk about it

I was going to tell you you told me that y 'all did a pre -recorded but I've been looking to see for it to come on here but it hasn't we haven't had to use it yet well going back off of what you had said about like when we make plans for ourselves and then we get upset because it's like well this is

God's plan like us planning families or you know if you remember when you met me however many years ago that was my plan remember what we thought marriage was going to be like so yeah that's funny so that was y 'all's plan so this is what

I was going to do I was going to graduate high school which I had already had that checked off I was going to go to school for nursing graduate get married then have kids

I graduated high school didn't finish nursing school got married and haven't done the other things yet so it was not my plan did not go accordingly because like we talked about and like what the scripture says

God will determine your steps not you

I never in a million years thought I would marry a pastor I didn't marry a pastor I didn't marry a teacher

I mean that was his career that we went into was teaching and that was how we set out our whole life

I mean that was how we would be like oh you're going to get summers off and that's going to be great and you think the teacher world is just going to be so perfect it's a hot mess a stressful job so kudos to teachers doing virtual learning right now you know because I talked to your husband on a mission trip one time and it was several years ago and I asked him

I said so I said when are you going to start preaching and he goes I don't think that's the plan

I jokingly asked him when we got married or we were engaged his dad had gotten off the phone with somebody he had to do a counseling appointment and stuff and he was just really stressed out about it and I just kind of smiled at Josiah and I said could you ever do that like could you ever and he goes no

I would never want to he was like that's terrible ha ha so you say son if you knew anyways surprise so but he

I mean I remember it was in the fall I don't remember how long ago while we're doing this now but he he just could not shake it he loves teaching and that is definitely a spiritual gift of his and it's a passion and he even in the county school he did a really good job with it he loves teaching that is his passion when you teach in public school he was a

Spanish teacher but because of how broken their home lives are and stuff he was more of a counselor than he was sometimes that's what those kids need they need

Spanish exactly and that he that's not what he wanted to do especially because working for Shelby County Schools he wanted to point them to what they needed to hear but you can't do that he had to limit how often he could bring up scripture and there were a few times he got to throw it in there but he was like I cannot go the rest of my life without not teaching and he goes

I'm meant to be a pastor and he goes I can't ignore that anymore I said alright that's what we're doing get ready

I saw that way way long time ago but see everyone told me that because when I went on the women's retreat and I was talking about that I was like I'm a little overwhelmed

I never imagined myself in that position of I wanted to of being a pastor's wife?

yeah I wanted to walk alongside my husband in whatever he did but I just I I don't know

I see what pastor's families go through it's a huge call you have the abilities

I know but all the women told me they were like especially women that had counseled me going through our engagement and stuff they were like oh it's coming

Rachel and I was like why can't y 'all tell me because I'm over here in teacher world we're going to be a little teacher family

JK so it's funny how that works out again like I said before we started this why do people just not see things because I had to figure that out in my own time or the

Lord had to make it obvious this is what's going to happen I'm going to knock the heck out of your husband and make him aware of this and he's not going to be able to shake it if he had not gone to me in the way that he did though I would have not resented it

I would have questioned it a lot more than I did I would have thought that there were external reasons of why he was choosing that like different things persuading his decision to do that and everything and so because of the way it was presented it was a literal spiritual calling it wasn't people telling us

I think that's why no one opened their mouth about it for a long time because I think the

Lord knew that he and I needed to know that it was a spiritual decision not something that was encouraged by other people everybody said we'd be really good at it so why not

I think that was a huge huge part of it I'm so glad you listened me too there's because it could have been really bad

Gwen told me something one time about how we're eating Mexican food and her words have stuck with me through this entire thing there's always peace when you walk in obedience and so that has always and she's right because us walking in obedience right now even though it's so scary and it's so different and it's nothing that we planned there is a sense of peace because we're doing what we're supposed to be doing right now you know that you're going to be taken care of because you are being obedient I totally get that going back to God's plan like you having your own and it not turning out to be what you wanted

I was talking to a friend like I don't know maybe a couple of months ago she was saying how upset she was because at this point in her life she's not where she thought she would be and I said okay whose life is actually like that tell me one person whose life has gone exactly as planned and she's just like well

I can't and I said okay it's like nobody's life has gone the same exact way that they planned like I said graduate high school nursing school get married have kids

I should have already had kids by now according to like my list but it'll be graduate high school get married send husband to school let him graduate send me back to school and then

I graduate and then have kids there are like several other different steps wait a minute wait a minute don't put the cart before the horse sister

I don't have any kids yet I can not have kids and go back to school from this program I'm not saying that you're going to what

I'm saying is don't say that this is what we're doing you see

I have a problem it's an addiction I have a problem that's right here I can't even you can only say what has happened hold on have you seen the meme with the little asian boy have you seen the little meme with the asian boy and he's sitting there and he's studying instead of just like reading all the other kids in the classroom are just reading and you see this kid go put it in here and then he turns the page and then he just does it come in here

I tell you it's a big struggle you know how brother Jeff always talks about when he wanted to he literally wanted scripture to be in here he literally took the bible and placed it on top of his head and he was like lord make this go in here and so that's when

I see that meme that's what I'm thinking of scoop it up and put it in my head I'm going to start studying like that from now on it just proves to you how stubborn and how controlling this is exactly what you just did oh my god and I did it on live camera you said this has happened, this has happened, this has happened and this is the way this has gone so now

I'm going back to school I have a problem you don't understand she's type

A A, A, A A, A, A, A A's in that sweetie because all you can do is say what the lord has done thus far you have no clue what tomorrow holds and I'm not going to sit here and tell you you're going to find out you're pregnant tomorrow because I don't see that happening well you know that Donovan's aunt told us at Christmas she goes y 'all have something to tell us and I looked at her and I was like what you think

I'm pregnant? I would have patted her and been like very Christmas very Christmas and so she was like y 'all have something to tell us

I said do you think I'm pregnant and she goes yeah I had a dream and so obviously I'm not because I had told my husband and I said you can tell

Margie I said you can tell Aunt Margie that she's not yeah

Aunt Margie I said you can tell Margie that her dream did not come true this month and so he texted her or whatever but yeah so I'm proving a point to Margie but yeah

I told Donovan I said if that ended up happening at this point in our lives in our marriage like in April we've been married 5 years just about I was about to say a month apart and so with that we've been together for a long time we've been together this year will be 11 years that we've been together and then married for 5 in April and so at this point in our lives it's like okay if it happens we'll be okay and we'll be excited about it it won't be like a dread like at the beginning of our marriage when we were barely making any money and just could you know afford to well

I mean we were saving and doing whatever but it was like it's scary to get pregnant in the first year of marriage because you don't really you're trying to figure your wife out as an adult and I just got put on my husband's insurance like I just got off my mom's policy and I feel like I'm an actual adult now like I feel like I'm a real adult and it is scary because you don't have that like security or you're going through something new that you just have no idea but like I said if that did happen

I would be okay especially as we hadn't lived on our own yet until we got married so to adjust to being a literal adult not being under your parents provision and then also learning how to be submissive to your husband and y 'all figuring out each other's rhythms and everything add a baby on top of that it would be kind of overwhelming it would be overwhelming but yeah

I told you I have a problem but that's why it spoke to me so much and I'm still trying to get it y 'all

I've been studying the scripture for like three weeks and it's still just I don't think there's anything wrong with it anybody and everybody that's out there that knows

Anna and has her cell phone number please text this scripture to her every day this week or the next week but that's

I just really because I guarantee you it doesn't matter as long as you're living and you're doing exactly what the

Lord wants you to do it doesn't matter tomorrow or the next day or three days from now or four days from now or five days from now if it knocks off guilt from what you're wanting you're gonna be fine well and that's the thing too like I told

Donovan I said for whatever reason if it was a Christmas miracle that I did get pregnant

I said I would not want to go to school because it's a two year program it would be a full time job

I would not be able to work because I would be in school full time and I said I would honestly just be content not doing that because going back and if Karina Wilson is watching shout out to Karina Wilson last year's women's retreat we did like the record thing like what's on your record and one of the things that was on my record was you're incompetent and you're not smart enough and so those were two things and one of those my dad said to me on my graduation day from high school which was very hurtful and so I really struggled with those things and I held on to them a lot and so that last year really and that was

I had started school in January and the women's retreat was in March last year I remember because of the pandemic we literally came home and were like where's the food and so going through that I had to tell myself you are smart and so we had the pictures that we had for that little game what

I did is I wrote what was on my record on the back side of the picture and then underneath that I wrote scripture stating that I was not that you were fearfully and wonderfully made you were made in the image of God and on my school desk

I have that picture of my little five year old self it was on my birthday I was holding a little candle and I have it sitting on my desk to a reminder that's a stupid exercise we were all crying

I know, Karina, that's stupid we were like oh my goodness Karina, if it makes you feel any better it worked on one person it was a great exercise it was painful but that's the thing if you're living according to what

God has called you to do and when you walk in obedience there will be peace and so I feel like even though I still have problems with planning,

I ain't saying I'm perfect or anything, obviously I struggle, but even with that,

I still have comfort because we are being obedient, Donovan and I, with all aspects, granted again, we're not perfect but we strive to be obedient and do our best and that brings us peace so if tomorrow or next month your little plan gets thrown out the window are you still going to be able to contain and withstand and continue to walk and continue to hold on to that peace?

I think so because what I've been telling, as far as the program goes, I do not know if I'm going to get accepted

I feel like I have a pretty good shot that's not me being cocky, that's me feeling confident in my abilities

I had straight A's, like my scores are good if I do not get in, I told

Donovan, I said I will still be proud of myself that I even qualified to get into the program that I, like all last year

I did school spring, summer, and fall and I had straight A's, and I said even if it was just proving to myself that I could do that,

I'm fine and I said, and I'm content with that, and I'm comfortable, so yes, even if Margie gets her dream wish and I, you know,

I get pregnant I would be shocked to be completely honest, but I would be fine and I would be excited about that, because Donovan and I are talking, it's like, you know, we are ready to move toward that next phase in our life, because we've been doing the same thing for five years, and we're like, okay it's like,

I'm getting bored of it but at the same time, we are where we are for a reason, and we're content with that, and we're grateful for what we do have, because like, you know, in the seminary apartments great deal on an apartment you're with other

Christian people most of the time some of them are a little skeptical I was on eviction for drugs one time but, you know, most of the people are pretty great but like, we have neighbors across the hall they're expecting their first baby and, you know, they're moving out, and it's like, you know you see all these people doing all these other things you're like, oh,

I want to do that too you know, I want to experience that, but it's like no, you are where you are for a reason and you need to be content with that and that's something that we really had to work on especially in the first few years of our marriage was being content no matter what situation we were in, and that was really tough for me, because I always wanted more more, more, more but yeah, so that's so yeah, to answer your question

I'd be okay I'd be excited baby Donnie so if I see you at the altar in the next month or so Lord, why did you do this to me?

Weeping and sobbing Should I come assist? You can just pray for me

Don't you say She can just whisper the verse over your head Oh my gosh, you two are fabulous

We feel fabulous Got a new haircut? Well, you probably just got trimmed but it's still cute

I'm debating on getting a mom cut after Naomi gets here I don't know I think it'd be easier to pull up, honestly

My hair has not annoyed me as much this time because of the different seasons that I'm pregnant so I'm not craving to just cut it off So, we'll see

I don't know, postpartum might make me be like Just shave it off Hey, I got some clippers at home

I used to do Donovan's hair I cut his hair Well, thanks ladies for coming tonight

This has been an experience You're welcome Is it a good experience? I hope y 'all have enjoyed this

Wow, we've got a lot of people on there Is that Josiah? Yeah, my husband should be on there

Hey, Pastor Wow, there's a lot of folks there Aw, cute

Well, that's it Whenever one of us is on the screen she'll ask, hold me and we're like, it's a

TV It's cute Hold me But anyways, thanks guys

I hope y 'all have enjoyed this as much as I have Seriously Me getting called out on my Facebook live

But it's fine It's what conviction's for I know, isn't it embarrassing? You did it to your own self

But that's why, honestly that's why I like talking to other believers about the scripture that you read and the struggles that you're going through like accountability wise, like whatever just even our women's retreat that we did just being able to talk to all the other women

I know I'm so sad I'm gonna miss it I'll Marco Polo you Y 'all have to show me your notes

And so, just doing that it really gives you kind of like a new like a new like a fresh breath,

I don't know what to say Well, and that's one reason why we started doing this Of course, it was during the pandemic

Yeah Pastor came to me and said he didn't come to me when he was on Marco Polo Brother Jeff talking to people this close

You know he puts it in his face I know No surrounding

So I was like, well Mercedes and I had already started studying She and I were studying every

Sunday afternoon And I told her, I said, why don't we just do our study online

Yeah And that's how it started And that's how it started Because she was learning

She was reading scripture and learning And what she would do is she would come to me on Sunday afternoon We would go up in the wow room

And she would go over what she had studied that week And she would ask me Am I reading this right?

Understanding And that's basically what it was And we would just sit and discuss the scripture that she had read

And chat it back and forth And we would go back and forth You know what I mean Just exactly what we do here

And just to where she was making sure that she was getting the understanding that she should be receiving

And so I told her, I said Why don't we just do that And the very first one I'm going to tell you how the

Holy Spirit took that very first wow moment we ever did We were both a nervous wreck

I remember I didn't know I would be too Because we really didn't know what we were doing Well nobody always used to be on our screen yet Because we've never really been like a techy church

And so Doing Facebook live and YouTube And everything was a whole new world Right and so we're sitting there

And I just told her, I said just don't look at the phone Just don't look at the phone And she goes well I'm only reading

You're doing the talking, I'm doing the reading I remember that That's it And I said okay

And I told her I said before we start let's pray And because we were both Like I said a nervous wreck

And I just asked I asked God, I said just allow the Holy Spirit To take over During this time that we're about to be in Alive, I said because We really don't know where we're

Where we're going to go with this We really don't have a clue of what We knew the scripture we wanted to start out with But we didn't know what was going to go from there

And let me tell you something You want to talk about the Lord Showing up and showing out We started

And things started rolling And the scripture was read and I started talking And I'm going to tell you something, that girl opened her mouth

And it didn't shut The rest of the live She's that way though She looked at me when it was done

When we were done And she said What just happened And I said

What do you mean What just happened She goes, what did I just say And I told her,

I said Honey, you just experienced The Holy Spirit taking over And allowing you to be

Who you need to be Because you allowed him to work through you I said that's exactly what you just experienced

That was weird Because she couldn't remember What did I just say

Did I sound stupid Because I was sitting there going This was me

Because I was going Who are you My first moment that happened too I was like,

I don't think I'm going to be able to say much And then just the whole time And then when we were done Mercedes goes, okay

I'm just not going to talk much, a little chatty Cathy It happens, you know

But you have to, that's the thing That's what you have to do But that's what you have to do

You just have to allow And so many people are so worried about witnessing And they're so scared to talk about But if you allow the

Holy Spirit To work through you, you don't have anything To worry about My thing is too, just telling them what

God has done in your life That's all you have to do And then you don't even have to worry about using big words

Because 95 % of the time The person you're talking to is not Let me go back

The person you're talking to ain't going to understand What you're saying They're not just not

So if you use big words That's why you've got to bust it on down You've got to stupefy it sometimes

Stupefy That's a new word I've never seen that movie

I thought that was One of the spells I thought it was stupefy

Girl I just made that word I just made up that word Hey Harry Potter fans

Is that a Harry Potter word? Because when they're changing Okay y 'all I think it's

I think it's when Snape No no no When they're doing that class

And they say stupefy And it's something scary or a fear Oh yeah

I know what you mean I think they say stupefy So there you go You're a Harry Potter fan and you didn't even know it

I've never seen it They're good They start off very slow

And childish but then they get really good Because it Aged with the time Say the cue