EMB EP36 | Surprise Guest! with Kasey Ridling

Everything Made Beautiful (01:02) my goodness. Okay girls, you take over because I don't know what's happening now. Maggie (01:09) Well, we thought that it would be kind of fun to do something a little different, mix it up every once in a while, and bring on a special guest who you don't know beforehand who it is. So we are surprising you every time with a special guest. Ali (01:09) Ehh We've been keeping it a secret. Everything Made Beautiful (01:27) Okay, so I know the person, I just don't know what person it is. But when they come on, I'm gonna go, oh my gosh, so and so. Okay. So, and we got to this because I said that I was tired of hearing my own voice and just doing the podcast alone anytime that I wasn't interviewing somebody, which is great. Maggie (01:34) Yes. Of course. Yes. Everything Made Beautiful (01:56) And our dog has run down here like a maniac. So if you hear her running around, she is down here. I'm sure somebody in our family is going to come get her. But hey, welcome to podcast life. It's just crazy dogtown. And so y'all said, well, let's do some podcasts together because I asked you to be my co-host. Thank you for saying yes to that. And then this was your idea for once a month, right? Is just to. Maggie (02:00) Of course, that's perfect. Ali (02:02) you Maggie (02:09) You Ali (02:18) course. Maggie (02:18) course. Correct. Everything Made Beautiful (02:23) have surprise guests. Okay, so this is the first one of these. I gotta tell ya, it's something really unique for me not to be prepared. Ali (02:34) You Maggie (02:34) I was gonna ask, are you nervous or are you more excited? Maybe a little bit of both. Everything Made Beautiful (02:37) you Yeah, let's see if I'm being honest. I enjoy stuff on the fly like that doesn't freak me out. But I want it to be a great experience for the guests as well as everybody who's listening. I just, I want to make sure that I, you know, I guess I need to not worry about that. I need to not worry about making it great for everybody. It'll be great because we know great people. So that'll be great. Maggie (02:44) haha Exactly. It's bound to be great. You literally cannot mess it up. Everything Made Beautiful (03:11) Okay. Ali (03:12) Yeah, and we'll just have an organic conversation, just all three of us and it'll be absolutely perfect. Everything Made Beautiful (03:16) Okay. Okay. All right, can't wait. What happens now? Maggie (03:20) Are you ready? Okay, I think it's time to bring our guest in. Ali (03:24) Yeah. Hey, are ready? Everything Made Beautiful (03:25) Okay, should I close my eyes? I don't know what to do. Maggie (03:29) Yeah, maybe close your eyes. Ali (03:29) Just wait. Everything Made Beautiful (03:31) Yes! this is, yes, Kasey my goodness, Kasey Ridling. What a perfect first surprise guest. Now I'm not nervous at all. Ali (03:35) Yay! Kasey Ridling (03:39) Hi! Ali (03:48) Perfect! Maggie (03:50) Kasey, welcome to the Everything Made Beautiful podcast. Yay! Kasey Ridling (03:55) Yay! Everything Made Beautiful (03:56) This is, my goodness, this is so fun. Okay, I already know what I wanna ask. Okay. I want you to tell about coming into our lives from your perspective and then we can tell about you coming into our lives. That's just so fun. Like I've never heard you, I've never heard you tell. Kasey Ridling (04:01) okay. Maggie (04:02) Perfect. Kasey Ridling (04:13) Mm. Okay, that's so fun. Maggie (04:17) Yeah, yeah, I love it. Ali (04:17) Yes, that's so fun! Everything Made Beautiful (04:22) about coming into our lives, because I'm always telling everyone how you came into our life. Kasey Ridling (04:22) Thanks. Yeah. Wow. Okay. Let me think. Well, it's been 15 years. I did the math before y'all let me in. 15 years. Which... Yeah, baffling, honestly. Everything Made Beautiful (04:35) What? Ali (04:37) That is insane. Everything Made Beautiful (04:39) Okay, so girls, how old were y'all 15 years ago? Maggie (04:44) my gosh. Who has a calculator? Ali (04:45) I was three. I was three years old. Kasey Ridling (04:48) You sure were. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Everything Made Beautiful (04:48) Valley was three. Maggie (04:48) You were three? Then I was... Yeah, Ali (04:50) Which means you were like seven. Maggie (04:53) seven or so. Which is wild. Everything Made Beautiful (04:53) Oh my word. Okay, 15 Kasey Ridling (04:55) Yeah. Ali (04:55) single digits. Everything Made Beautiful (04:56) years, okay? Kasey Ridling (04:57) I will never forget when I met you Shannon for the first time, but also heard you speak for the first time. The first time I heard you speak was at the bottom of the Tabernacle in Atlanta. When you came in to talk about like, Hey guys, we're going to have our old church, our kids program. And it's like, okay, let's start. And I was like, I want to be on her team immediately. Yeah. Brand new. Everything Made Beautiful (05:20) Because they did, yeah, it was a brand new church, so they didn't have a kids program. We were going to build it, yep. Ali (05:24) wow. Kasey Ridling (05:26) And at the time the church was like hopping around to different venues in Atlanta and this one just happened to be at the beautiful Tyburn Apple in Atlanta and me and my friends were like, yeah, let's go see what it's going to be about. And that's when I saw Shannon for the first time. But the first time we met was in the hallway of our preschool and we were putting together toys for the rooms, I think. Yeah, I know, because again, brand new kids ministry and new facility. Yeah, it was literally. Everything Made Beautiful (05:46) Yeah. Maggie (05:47) Of you were. Of course you were. Ali (05:48) Wow. Everything Made Beautiful (05:49) Yeah. Yep, new facility, new everything. Kasey Ridling (05:56) building everything, they were still painting at that point. And so I just remember being like, I think we're gonna be in it for a while. Like after talking and like hearing your story and then I met the kids and it was, I started babysitting y'all and we would go to the pool or the movies. I think I even took you to the circus at one point. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, and I let y'all paint my living room. Ali (06:16) I actually remember that. I do remember that. Maggie (06:16) I was just about to say! We did! Yes! We so did! Kasey Ridling (06:24) coral pink, like it was, did, I did. Ali (06:24) Mm-hmm. Yep. Yes, it was great. Everything Made Beautiful (06:28) As children. You were painting her living room as children. Yeah. Kasey Ridling (06:30) Mm-hmm as tiny's Yeah, I have a picture of you guys all three of you with Jack included just painting my living room and The rest is history, but like it felt like kindred spirits. We were both, you know, Braves fans Braves games the whole thing football fans Yeah, so it was just like Maggie (06:34) That is correct. Ali (06:34) I loved it. Maggie (06:39) That is hilarious. Everything Made Beautiful (06:40) Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yes. And Ali (06:48) Wow. Everything Made Beautiful (06:51) yes, and I would say like from our perspective, like I know for sure my kids don't have a memory that doesn't have Kasey in it. Like their earliest memories, Kasey's in it. But for me, I thought, you know, when we were launching that children's program, Maggie (07:03) Yeah. Everything Made Beautiful (07:12) First of all, we were just all in. Like it was just like, this is kind of what we were born to do. Like let's get together. Our mutual friend Tabbi who we all know and love was part of that whole season as well. And it was like, well, it's gotta get done. Let's do it. And what a fun season that was. But I remember thinking that all volunteers were like Kasey and Kasey Ridling (07:33) it was. Ali (07:41) Yeah Everything Made Beautiful (07:41) I'm here to tell you that that is not accurate. Kasey is a unicorn. We have met other amazing volunteers and ministry partners similar to Kasey, but she is a unicorn in her commitment, her willingness to do what's necessary and her embracing of whatever the vision is. Kasey Ridling (07:43) you Maggie (07:45) I fear that is not the case. Yep. Yep. Everything Made Beautiful (08:09) And my kids, I'm telling you to have another person in the life of your children saying the same things you're saying. And the number of times that both of my daughters have said, my gosh, mom, was talking to Kasey about this, you know, dramatic thing that I'm going through and here's what she said. Isn't that so wise? And I'm thinking, yes, it's wise. It's also what I have been saying all this time, but Kasey Ridling (08:27) Hey You Ali (08:35) Hahaha Kasey Ridling (08:38) you Maggie (08:38) Sometimes you gotta hear it from another person who's not your mom, even if it is the same thing. Everything Made Beautiful (08:38) The 100 % 100 % yeah. Ali (08:40) Yeah, multiple sources. Kasey Ridling (08:43) Listen, the amount of conversations that happened in my car, like the things my car has heard over the years and the amount of drama that we have figured out. Ali (08:47) Ha ha ha! Maggie (08:50) That is a sacred place, let me tell you. Ali (08:52) So true. Everything Made Beautiful (08:53) Yes. So I got wise over the years and I would seed the conversation. Kasey, I need you to ask Ali about such and such. She's struggling. ask text Maggie. She's struggling because as a parent, there is a really special joy having another adult who is a pivotal part of your child's life. So thank you, thank you, thank you for being that for our family. And it's interesting because after that season, when we were at Passion, Kasey Ridling (09:02) you Ali (09:02) You Maggie (09:11) Hmm. Everything Made Beautiful (09:22) We went separate ways. Like you moved to Nashville and we were still in Atlanta and it felt like, shoot, this really, really sweet season has come to an end. And then, I don't know if you remember this, I drove from Atlanta to Nashville to Christy Nockels' Christmas concert that was happening in the auditorium at Church of the City. And she was just like, Hey, do you want to come up to the concert? And I was like, girl, road trip. Here I come. You were there. You and Hannah were there. And you said, and I think Tabbi was standing there too. And y'all said, Hey, we've been volunteering here at the children's ministry at this church, church of the city. And I think that they're going through some transition and need a children's pastor. And I said something along the lines of, well, that is so special for them. but I'm not doing children's ministry anymore. And so we had a Ali (10:16) You Kasey Ridling (10:19) That's exactly. Everything Made Beautiful (10:20) good laugh, like it'd be so fun to do it again together, but no. And we had a good laugh and it was not one year later that I was there. And we started our whole journey together for the last seven years. And so Kasey, are, you're a ride or die. Kasey Ridling (10:28) Mm-mm. Mm-hmm. Maggie (10:29) Yeah. Everything Made Beautiful (10:41) That's what we call you at the Scott House. You're a ride or die. So I have to say thank you for all that you have invested in our family and the fun that we have had and the insanity that we have seen and experienced in many ways, far too many to enumerate here on this podcast. So thank you. Maggie (10:42) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Kasey Ridling (10:44) Mm-hmm. Ali (10:44) for sure. Kasey Ridling (11:04) Yeah, of course. It's been the biggest pleasure of my life. Like it's one of my favorite things. You guys are my family. Like there's not even like extended family. No, you're my family. Like that's the end. It's been, yeah, it has been a crazy 15 years, but boy, I wouldn't trade it for anything. Well, maybe some things, but you know, yeah, maybe some things, but for the most part. Everything Made Beautiful (11:24) There's probably some dollar amounts I could trade some things for it that'd be, know. Yeah. Ali (11:30) Right, right. Kasey Ridling (11:33) I would not trade it. Everything Made Beautiful (11:34) Yeah. I do. I do think about, you know, especially all of our people from Church of the City, like all of our amazing women, our amazing volunteers in all the time that we were there. I'm sure a lot of them are like, man, this is so great. Like Kasey and Shannon really seem to, they just really have hit it off quickly. And I bet a lot of them are just now finding out listening to this podcast that we have been 15 years in the trenches together. But I know what a gift you've been to church of the city, to kid city, to students, to women, to all, all of those places. The same is true at passion. And you just, you have a real gift. You are a gift to everyone. that you're around. So I do want to speak that over you. I want to talk about one once in a lifetime thing you and I did together, but I want you thinking about, you know, the whole subject of this podcast is everything made beautiful and that we believe that God's making everything beautiful in its time, but that it doesn't always look beautiful to us initially. And sometimes We are just left to trust that God's going to make it beautiful because he promises to and we may not get to see all the fruit of that. So I want you to be thinking about an example of that for you that you'd be willing to share. But first I want to discuss the day that you texted me when our Braves were in the going to the world series and you said on text, Hey, insert name of our mutual friend here. Ali (13:06) I'll... Kasey Ridling (13:07) my gosh. Everything Made Beautiful (13:14) wants to make sure that you and I are able to go to the World Series. And, and I looked at the text, like, I don't wait. Well, I mean, we can go to Atlanta, like, but we're not going to get to go to the game, like, and then you said, no, no, with tickets to the game. And again, I was like, I think I probably said, Kasey, God doesn't like liars. And so when you lie to people over text, Kasey Ridling (13:26) You Everything Made Beautiful (13:42) That's the same as lying. And you said, I'm not lying. And you and I ended up with field level seats at the Braves World Series game, where had they won that night, they would have clinched the World Series. They did not win that night, but we got to be standing there in a sold out stadium in Atlanta. Maggie (13:45) Mm-hmm. Everything Made Beautiful (14:13) watching our Braves in the World Series, bases loaded and Adam Duvall comes up to the plate. He swings and time stood still and slow motion began like in the movies and he hit a grand slam home run in the World Series at the Braves game and I hugged you but then turned to a perfect stranger man who I have never seen again and hugged him as though he was my family. And that was, it was pandemonium and chaos. So those are my thoughts. That was the most otherworldly insane, I don't know if it can ever be duplicated beyond the births of my children moment of my life. What about you? Kasey Ridling (15:02) Mm-mm. Yeah. I mean, I don't have children. So for sure, the top moment of my life. But like, it was, it's insane. But from the beginning of the, maybe we're going, maybe we're not going, and then we're going and then getting down there. It was just the whole situation. Like we were working together at Church of the City at this time, but we were in two separate meetings at two, like I was off campus. You were in a meeting that you were going to be in all day. Ali (15:06) you Everything Made Beautiful (15:27) Yes. Okay. Kasey Ridling (15:34) And so we weren't even like able to be in the same room talking about this. So, and I'm in a meeting planning the beautiful event night to shine and I'm not able to focus. I'm like, guys, this is important, but I need you to know what's happening in my soul right now. I'm, I'm literally running laps around the coffee shop in Franklin. Cause I'm like, I don't know what to do with my hands. the fact. Everything Made Beautiful (15:38) Right. Yeah. Yeah. Ali (15:46) Hahaha! Maggie (15:50) Right, right. Everything Made Beautiful (15:57) Well, and if you were, if you're saying I was in a meeting all day, then that had to have been a Tuesday, which means I could not even like engage fully in the text. I'm probably like sly on the slide texting. my goodness. That was pandemonium. I just remembered. I just remembered after the game too. Kasey Ridling (16:00) Mm-hmm. It was. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. yeah, so the game was insane. Seeing a Grand Slam hit in the World Series game is a top moment, win or lose. I figured we lost because the Lord had to keep us humble. If we would have won, we would have been insufferable. It would have been over. Yeah, but then after the game, we have to drive back to Franklin because we have a Bible study Monday morning and the game was Sunday night. Everything Made Beautiful (16:21) Insane. Maggie (16:33) You would have been riding high for the rest of your lives, yeah. Everything Made Beautiful (16:36) you Maggie (16:44) Of Kasey Ridling (16:45) And it's a night game Maggie (16:45) Of course. Kasey Ridling (16:46) in Atlanta where there's an hour difference. And so we had the time change and we had to get back for the next morning for the Bible study. So it was just chaos trying. And then we're like in the car and we're like, what just happened? We just experienced the world series, but also, okay, let's change our focus and go serve the women that we love so much. And then that night is when we watched them in church of the city, in their theater. Ali (17:05) No. Kasey Ridling (17:14) We watched them clinch the World Series, losing our minds on the LED wall. So we watched the World Series on the giant LED wall in the theater. There are videos that are quite fun to watch. Ali (17:16) Help. Everything Made Beautiful (17:17) Yes, on the LED wall. Ali (17:21) disconnected me. Everything Made Beautiful (17:26) Yeah. I mean, yep, I was going to say Maggie, tell us. Maggie (17:27) I was in my Kasey Ridling (17:32) Yeah. Maggie (17:32) apartment in Florida on an internship, so I'm sharing with three other girls who don't care or actually know who I am. And I screamed so loud that we got a noise complaint. And I had to answer the door and be like, I'm so sorry. And they saw my Braves jersey and they were like, actually, I totally get it, no worries. And I said, it's over now, so we're all good. Kasey Ridling (17:34) Mm-hmm. Yep. Everything Made Beautiful (17:53) Yeah. Maggie (17:56) Won't happen again, promise. Kasey Ridling (17:56) Yeah. We did a, we did like a family FaceTime with everyone. Remember after we won, we all got on FaceTime because it was just incredible. Incredible. Maggie (18:01) yeah. Everything Made Beautiful (18:04) Yeah, because it had been since 1995 that we had been waiting. It was, that was so sweet. getting to experience that with you, Kasey, like I just could not have, God was way too kind to us. Our friend was way too kind to us. It was just amazing. Okay, so tell us if you, Kasey Ridling (18:10) Mm-hmm. Way too kind. Everything Made Beautiful (18:31) are willing and want to and in as much detail as you want to share what is kind of a top everything made beautiful moment for you. Kasey Ridling (18:40) Yeah, I honestly, God's been really kind where I have a couple that immediately came to mind. But I think in the vein of everything we've been talking about is one thing is I, you know, I'm in my mid thirties and I'm single. But and so there can be a stigma of that, of that it's not beautiful because I haven't found the person that I'm supposed to be with rest of my life. But I've, God's just kind of brought me into this season of how beautiful this really is. because I do have the bandwidth and capacity and the time to love on all of these kids who aren't mine and pour into their lives in a way and to not only like pour into their lives, but to help the parent, help you as parents. I have an eighth grade small group that I get to pour into. I have, you know, all of my other little children running around anywhere from like four years old to... you know, 20 something years old in Orlando, you know? And so it's just been this beautiful, it's been this beautiful thing of me realizing like, I don't have kids of my own. don't have like that immediate family. It's just me, but God has made this beautiful season of me getting to really walk alongside so many. it's beautiful. And I'm so thankful for it. And I know like if I did have my own family and my own kids, I wouldn't have this kind of time. Maggie (19:37) Thank Kasey Ridling (20:04) to be able to be like, yeah, I'll come pick you up from school and we'll go get coffee. Or the other day, my friend called me and she's like, please come get my daughter. I can't anymore. know, like there's, teenage drama and I just can't, I need your help. Like you have to, and I went and I grabbed her after work and we went to grab a soda and we just sat in a parking lot for two hours, you know, and just really dove into everything and like, okay, well, why did you react that way? And like, Everything Made Beautiful (20:14) Hmm. Kasey Ridling (20:31) just really got to counsel her through that, because I was like, listen, this is what I walked through when I was your age, so let me help you through that. And so it's just been a beautiful, it's a beautiful season of life that I've been able to be in, to be able to pour into wonder and see the fruit of it. Like Maggie and Ali, y'all, I've been walking alongside y'all for 15 years now and to see the wonderful, wonderful women that y'all have turned into and like you doing the exact same thing that I did for you. Like Ali has one of my girls in my small group as a mentee and even watching her mentor her, I'm like, it makes my heart explode a little because I'm like, we've had some of these same conversations about me. And it's a beautiful thing really. Everything Made Beautiful (21:12) Yeah, that's well and it's really and I don't know if you've ever thought about it this way, but your willingness as a single woman to be setting an example for all of these girls that look up to you and love you and you're not going I'm incomplete until I'm married and you're setting something for them so that they're not going, I guess this is what I have to be going after. Instead, you're going, nope, I'm whole and I'm complete because I'm in Christ. If I get married, great. If I don't, I'm still whole and complete because I'm in Christ. And so I'm really grateful for that. I want you to share your others, but Maggie, Ali, what has Kasey's influence meant? Kasey Ridling (21:47) Mm-hmm. Everything Made Beautiful (22:03) for the two of you from your seat. Maggie (22:06) I mean, I know for me, everyone in my life knows who she is, even if they don't actually know her. So I was just at my friend's house the other day and told them about this and was like, yeah, we're gonna surprise mom, blah, blah, blah. And they were like, who are you having? And I said, Kasey. And they were like, that is gonna be so fun. They've never met her. They've never met her. So I think that is just a testament to the fact that like, Kasey Ridling (22:27) I love that. Ali (22:27) Hehehehe Maggie (22:34) I talk about her and the things that we've talked about and the things that we've walked through and the things that we've gotten to do, all the fun things and all the really sucky things all the time. And I think that's just a testament to who she is and the impact that she's had because truly, I mean, you come to Florida a couple times a year, maybe, and all these people know who you are, at least. So I think that's really a testament to you and the impact that you've left. Everything Made Beautiful (22:58) Hmm. Kasey Ridling (22:58) you Maggie (23:04) And that's not even going into specifics. Like I'll probably cry, but I think that's really cool to see and cool to experience to have all these people be like, my goodness. Yay. And I'm like, yeah. And you don't even, you don't even get it. You don't even actually get it. So I think that's really cool. Everything Made Beautiful (23:21) Hahaha Kasey Ridling (23:21) you That's awesome. Thank you. Everything Made Beautiful (23:25) Ali, I'm gonna ask you this too. So you hold, I wanna know what it's meant to have Kasey in your life, but I also, Mags, I want you to name something specific that Kasey has spoken into, like what you kind of hold onto that she has given you and tell her. And then Ali, I'm gonna ask you the same thing. Maggie (23:48) Well, there is 15 years of advice to go through, but most recently, I just went through a breakup And Kasey was right there alongside me the entire time from day one and had to experience a lot of emotions from me. But she was just so amazing. And you were right there. next to me, literally running production right next to me while I was sitting there crying and making sure that I was good. And once I was ready to like hear all of the advice, you were like, girl, listen, I've been here and here I am currently. And it is actually okay. It's just what you just talked about, having someone who you already look up to who's going through the same thing that you are. Everything Made Beautiful (24:25) you Maggie (24:39) or has gone through it before and can give you that perspective of like, this isn't a forever thing and this actually doesn't reflect on you necessarily or your worth as a person. And it was such, I think it was just so kind of the Lord to have this happen during this time because I got to be around all of the people that I would have wanted to be around. And specifically to have Kasey literally arm and arm with me all week, walking me through it was. incredible. So I cannot thank you enough, truly. Like, I don't think that I would be at the place that I am now with this whole process if I hadn't had that. And it was just so kind of the Lord and so kind of you to be able to walk through that with me, literally from day one. Kasey Ridling (25:25) My pleasure. I'm here to bring all the snacks, but also words if you need it. I remember being like, you don't have to talk about this, but when you're ready, we're going to. Yeah, and we did. Maggie (25:35) Right, right. And we did. Everything Made Beautiful (25:40) about. Ali (25:41) For me, I think the influence that Kasey has had on my life is just, I mean, astronomical. know, from day one, it's been, Kasey's always there, And there was a period where Kasey lived with us and it was just like literally the best to just be like, be able to go talk to my mom about it, but then also like immediately just go downstairs and be like, Also, Kasey, hey, how are ya? You know? And I mean, all of my friends do know you and they all love you as well. So it's just, I mean, I truly can't say enough good things about you. Like it's just, my gosh, I just adore you as a person and I adore everything that you have to offer as well. It's just chef's kiss, if you will. Maggie (26:09) You Everything Made Beautiful (26:12) you Kasey Ridling (26:33) you Everything Made Beautiful (26:35) the Ali (26:37) What was the second question? Kasey Ridling (26:38) The best. Everything Made Beautiful (26:41) Just what's one specific piece of advice that Kasey's given you that you just kind of carry with you? Ali (26:47) yes. Well, I would say, I don't know if I have one specific, but I have like, so we're both Enneagram nines. And I cannot tell you how many times I've been like freaking out about something or I'm like, why do I feel this way or like something like that where I'm like, I don't understand my emotions. And Kasey's like, well, you know, this is typically how Enneagram nines feel. And this is why and here's all of the and you're just like, Kasey Ridling (27:10) Hmm. Ali (27:16) Well, couldn't have put it any other way, really. So it's just, she always has the right words and exactly how to word it so that you just like, it's just right here, you know? Like you understand immediately and it's just, it's absolutely just one of the most important relationships in my life, aside from you two and the rest of our family as well, obviously. Kasey Ridling (27:18) Yeah. I mean, back at you. mean, listen, Shannon Everything Made Beautiful (27:41) Yeah. Maggie (27:43) Well, meh. Kasey Ridling (27:45) was the first person to ever call me an Enneagram nine before we even knew what the Enneagram was. I remember us having a conversation where I was just going through it. Life was putting me through it at that point. And Shannon sat me down and she was like, Kasey, when stuff happens, you pick it up and then you shove it and you pick it up and you shove it and you just keep shoving it until you have nowhere else to shove it. and then you explode and that's where you're at right now and I was like, know. Now, now I know that is literally the formula to be an Enneagram 9. So now I'm like, sweet little Enneagram 9s, let me help you. Let me help you not explode because I've exploded and it's not fun. Everything Made Beautiful (28:12) you Ali (28:14) you Maggie (28:15) You Ali (28:23) Ha ha ha! Everything Made Beautiful (28:23) Yeah. Maggie (28:25) But Ali (28:27) Absolutely, absolutely. Everything Made Beautiful (28:28) I remember specifically with you, Ali, that one time you, this has been several years ago, but you were crying and I said, what's wrong? And you said, I feel lonely a lot even when there are a lot of people around. And. your brother was also going through some emotional stuff as well. And so I was as a mom starting to be like, what is wrong with my children? Everyone is upset. And Kasey was able to assuage my fears and say, hey, that is a very common thing for our temperament. And so she was able to talk to you. And I think the magic of that is Ali (28:56) you Everything Made Beautiful (29:14) when even I'm like, well, I'm not wired that way. I love to be alone. I'm like, yes, more aloneness, please. I wasn't sure what to do. so Kasey, your wisdom in that and your just life experience was really helpful. I would love to ask you, I know this might put you on the spot, but. I have several people in my life like you who are, you know, older than 22 and aren't married. And I'm wondering how you feel like the church, I don't mean our church, I just mean the Big C church. How do you feel like the church could do a better job of serving single adults? And just that demographic and Kasey Ridling (29:48) Mm-hmm. Everything Made Beautiful (30:10) I mean, I don't want to speak for you. Do you feel like the church serves you well? Do you feel like there's a way that that could be better? Kasey Ridling (30:11) Mm-hmm. I feel like it's getting better, but it still has ways to go. I feel like people are becoming more aware now that, because I feel like a lot of people in my generation that there are a lot more single females in our generation. And I don't know why that is or what's the cause of that. I don't have any backing up data for that, but the church has done in the past a disservice. to people in my season of life. And a lot of times it's because they're focused on either people in a much younger season of life than me, like the young adults in the college, which is amazing. And I'm not taking away from that, but then there's like the young adults in the college and then there's the moms and the marrieds. And you're like, well, I'm in this weird middle ground where there's really nothing for me right here. And it's in some ways the- the big C church can look at it as a, well, you're not married. So you're not really like, it's that's what you said earlier. It's like, you're not fully complete yet because you're not married. And I've struggled a lot with it. just because it's been really hard. It's like, well, I don't have kids that can do this. I don't have the husband who can also, so we can serve together and lead a community group. I don't have all of these different things that where the church kind of looks at it as, now you're whole. It can be really hard and really isolating Being a single female and I'm sure a single male. I just I'm not so I don't know but But as a single female like and I've been very lucky to find other girls that are in my same season of life and we're all kind of like Yeah, this is hard like and it is it's hard. I mean, I know the grass isn't always greener, but there is a disservice that happens for single females because it's like, it's, and sometimes we're like the shiny toy that's like, my gosh, like you're in like this best season of life. You can do whatever. Like you can be here all the time, but also let me set you up with all these people. You don't, you don't need to do that. You don't need to do that. Just we're human, the same as you. There are a few things where it's like, ooh, we don't need a singles mixer. You know, we don't need. we don't need speed dating. We just need to be able to serve the same as everyone else. need to be served. we need to feel seen and known just like everyone else. and we're not any less complete just because we're in this beautiful season of being single, which I do feel like, it is a beautiful season. Like it is a, it is a gift and I know that and, it's taken me a long time to get there. I had a lot of times of feeling, like incomplete because that's what I was made to feel and I had a lot of times of feeling lonely and like I'm not good enough and all those things that come along with being single this long but now I feel like I'm finally in this like it almost feels like where a breath of fresh air because it's like that's why I'm here because I have time I can do all of these things I can surf more I can pour into people more I can you know I can travel and not have to worry about school trips or whatever it is, you know? And so I'm just, learning to be grateful for it and figure out my place in the Big C Church because of it and use it as a gift, as a, like, not as a handicap, if that makes sense. Everything Made Beautiful (33:47) totally. I, yeah, no, Max, no. Maggie (33:47) I just heard, so sorry to cut you off, I was just gonna say, I am going through, in our young adult ministry at my church, we're talking about relationships and dating and marriage and all of those things, which is perfect right after a breakup. And this last week we talked about singleness specifically and how Paul tells us that it is a gift and that if you, Kasey Ridling (34:05) Mmm, yeah, that's good. Ali (34:06) You Kasey Ridling (34:10) Mm-hmm. Maggie (34:16) are single, you should look at it as a gift. But it is so difficult to be like, yeah, this is amazing. I'm by myself. Woo. But the other thing they said was singleness is not a disease and a relationship is not a cure. And that couldn't be more true. mean, there's absolutely a desire to want to be in a relationship, a desire to be married. And that's a good and right desire. Like there's nothing wrong with that. But Kasey Ridling (34:24) Yay! Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Maggie (34:46) Once you're able to reframe, like you said, and look at it as like, okay, there are absolute positives to this season. And what an incredible time to be able to pour into yourself when you're able to just work on your relationship with you and the Lord solely and not have to worry about anybody else and not have to, you know, add all of these things into your life that would impact your relationship with the Lord. And that's been a really interesting perspective. Just Kasey Ridling (34:57) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Maggie (35:15) freshly out of a breakup, but also going into this new season for me of singleness. I was like, yeah, this is a really rich time to be able to focus not in a me, me, me kind of way, but to be able to focus on me and solely me and my walk with the Lord and building a strong foundation so that the next time that if that's the Lord's will that I am in a relationship, I've got a solid foundation that we can then build on together. And so Kasey Ridling (35:29) Mm-hmm. Yeah. Maggie (35:44) I think it's really cool to hear you say, yeah, I'm in a season now where I do look at it as like a really cool thing despite wanting in the future to have that, of course, like that makes perfect sense. But it's, it's interesting perspective and not something that people talk about a lot. I feel like. Kasey Ridling (35:50) Mm-hmm. No. And I had to get there on my own. Like I've had people, you know, I've been, I'm, I'm 35 and I have been single for 35 years and have had people I feel like for most of those years tell me, well, it's a gift. You know, Paul, he says it's a gift. And I'm like, that's cute, but you can't like, I'm yeah, they're, they're always married. They're always married. People who aren't single never go like, well, girl, this is a gift that you're in. No, we're all like, what? because it's hard out there. And, but like I had to get there on my own. Maggie (36:05) Mm-hmm. Everything Made Beautiful (36:17) Were they married? Were those people married? Maggie (36:18) That's awesome. You're married. Yeah, of course. Of course. Mm-hmm. Kasey Ridling (36:31) Like I had to realize the gift it was and the Lord had to like give that to me. it's, mean, it is a desire of my heart and it probably, always will be. And, but like right now I'm like, no, this is beautiful where I'm at, but it is one thing to figure that out on your own rather than being told that you, when people, I'm like, you don't tell me what to do. but because it's not that easy. You have to, you have to get there and have like that moment where it clicks on, your own because. Maggie (36:47) Mm-hmm. Ali (36:50) Yeah. Maggie (36:50) Yeah Right. Kasey Ridling (37:00) It is, and I have friends on all sides of the spectrum. I have friends who are like, this is the worst thing that's ever happened to me and I hate every minute of it. This isn't a gift. I don't know what these people are talking about. And then I have people who are probably too far on the other side where I'm like, this is, it's there, like this is a gift and I never want to change, you know? So it's like finding that happy medium of like, no, this is still a desire of my heart. Like it is still a desire of my heart to find my forever lobster or whatever you want to say, but it also is. a beautiful season that I'm in where I, you know, I can sleep as late as I want on Saturdays. I can go run to Target whenever I want and not have to tell anyone, you know? So it's like, it is both and. I can go to New York for 24 hours to see a Broadway show and fly home and not run it by anyone, you know? So it's like, it's things like that where it's like, this is beautiful, but it's both and. is, this is beautiful, but, you know, which is fine. Maggie (37:36) Hahaha! Right. Mm-hmm. Everything Made Beautiful (37:56) Good. What are you seeing? So you spend a lot of time with teenage girls. And I know we have a lot of mamas who listen to the Everything Made Beautiful podcast. If you could hold court with moms of teenagers, and I don't necessarily just mean sixth graders or seventh graders, like you've seen all the teenagers for lots of years. If you could just hold a little Kasey Ridling (38:03) I do. Maggie (38:17) I'm really worried. Everything Made Beautiful (38:26) court with moms of teenagers, specifically teenage girls, what would you tell them about what their daughters are struggling with, coping with, wrestling with, and what they need from us as moms? Kasey Ridling (38:43) If any of my teenagers are listening, just cover your ears for a second, because you may get mad at me for what I'm about to say. But it's okay. Yeah, you'll get over it. It'll be fine. The more I'm in it and the more like this day and age and I feel like the crazy even saying this is like social media is the issue. Everything Made Beautiful (38:49) you Ali (38:49) Hahaha! Maggie (38:51) Just a small caveat, just so you know. Kasey Ridling (39:09) everything I'm counseling people through, it is something that has to do with online. That's something that happens online. And I was never like, don't let them have social media until they're older. Like I was never that person because it just didn't, I didn't, I don't have kids. And so I was just like, I don't understand. But then like the more I'm counseling these girls and the more we're talking about comparison and the more we're talking about insecurities and even especially the younger generation. Maggie (39:23) Mm-hmm. Kasey Ridling (39:36) I feel like younger than Ali, like that generation, it's like they are, we're having a lot of conversations on emotional intelligence and how to act in social situations. Like they don't, like they're having a hard time getting there, even in like social awareness. And the thing I'm finding that is the most like at fault is social media because they get on whatever it is. And there are like, I mean, have a, when anytime I have like a blank response that I give parents when they're like, what do you think? And I'm like, well, this is what I think. But like the, some of the things where anything that they can compare themselves to other people, anything that they're able to comment on, like it's, is ingraining into their like soul and who they are. And they're like walking away going, I'm not any of those things. And it's so sad to me because I'm seeing these beautiful, beautiful girls with the biggest hearts. just have a really hard time and it all comes back to what they're seeing online because anyone can say anything online because they have less fear. And so the online bullying and it's not even just social media like what I have, I just walked through some situation with some teenagers about texting and bullying over texting because there's a screen and they're not having to say it face to face. Maggie (41:03) Mm-hmm. Kasey Ridling (41:03) And so there's this screen and they'll just say whatever they want because they don't understand the consequences of their actions. And so I just like, I've never been on the train of like, hold, hold, hold the digital things. But now I'm, the more I counsel girls, the more I'm like, that is an issue. And that's what they're struggling with. They're struggling with their identity. They're struggling with who they are and not comparing themselves to other people, but also just like. the drama and so it becomes a little bit because there's no social awareness or not no social awareness because there's a lack of it. The drama gets a little bit more escalated and I feel like parents step in really fast and so another thing I say to parents a lot is like just let them try and figure it out. Like obviously when it's the big bullying issues and it's the big issues obviously step in I'll step in their adults whoever in their life will step in but like when it's these silly friendship issues where just something was said and they took it the wrong way and now everyone's feelings are hurt, like let them figure it out. Because that's how they're going to figure out the skills to be able to communicate as an adult later in life. And if you keep constantly stepping in before they're able to figure it out, then they're never going to be able to figure it out. And then they're going to be 20 something years old in a job. And then how are they going to communicate with their boss or their coworker that they don't get along with? And so just A, letting them figure it out, but also just hold off on the social media as long as you can. Everything Made Beautiful (42:33) Yeah, Maggie and Ali, I want to hear from you on this, but I will just say I have said this a lot. I did not possess the emotional or spiritual maturity at I think what's the Instagram limit 13 you have to be 13. But I did not possess anything I needed at 13 years old. Kasey Ridling (42:49) Uh-huh. Mm-mm. Everything Made Beautiful (42:56) or 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, I just didn't have it to be able to exist in a world of such comparison and such rampant opinion on everything all the time. And so this, you know, when our church did the digital fast a few years ago, our family did it together and we looked at each other and we're like, We're actually a lot more peaceful, a lot less stressed, a lot less anxious without social media. It was less about the phone and more about the social media to our family. And so I just, I don't know how we get a hold of it, but I would tend to agree with you. I mean, I have a admitted love. Kasey Ridling (43:28) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Everything Made Beautiful (43:55) hate relationship with social media and most of it is hate. I see it as a necessary evil for something like this. Like, you know, letting people know there's a podcast, but I, I would rather shut it down, never get on it again and be like, well, girls, what do you think? Kasey Ridling (43:58) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Maggie (44:15) think it's so difficult to navigate no matter what season of life you're in. Because I think that there's just too much available for you to consume Kasey Ridling (44:23) Thank Maggie (44:32) But I'll say for me specifically, having it in, I didn't have it until high school. I am almost positive. And even Everything Made Beautiful (44:41) Correct. No, you didn't. Maggie (44:45) then, like, seeing your friends all hang out without you, that wasn't a thing. You didn't know. If you weren't there, you didn't know unless somebody told you and you didn't have to sit there in your bed alone, swiping through stories and seeing all of your friends hanging out without you and be like, my gosh, does this mean they hate me? Just like, why wasn't I invited? And I guess we're not friends anymore. And the... The immediate anxiety and overthinking is wild and is something to this day that I, as an extrovert who wants to be invited to everything, still find myself struggling with. But that is what you get trapped in. And that was hard as a young girl trying to figure out, you know, where do I fit in and who are my people and all of this stuff to then have all of this onslaught of information. Not to mention all the random people I don't know whose lives I see scrolling through my feed every day and being like, they're only 19 and they have their own business and they have two cars and that's not me. And like, what am I doing wrong? It is a wild. wild thing. And I think it's incredibly difficult to get a hold of for sure. Ali, what do you think? Kasey Ridling (45:55) Yeah. Ali (46:04) say as like somebody who's still like I am only 18 years old like I definitely do not have it all figured out you know I would say like I only got Instagram two years ago and even then like it's still like I still remember the day I got it it was like an immediate addiction honestly and I find myself like, even when people don't necessarily post things for me to see, I'll still go on somebody's Instagram page and go over to their tagged posts. And they hung out a month ago and I didn't know. And they did this really fun thing. Why didn't they invite me? You know, and it turns out I was literally out of town that day. they could have never invited me, but how dare they, you know, like, Everything Made Beautiful (46:52) you Maggie (46:52) Right. Right. Kasey Ridling (46:55) you Ali (46:55) But it's just such a comparison trap that as young as some of these girls are who are getting on Instagram, I'm always like, why are you on here? No, get off, please. Because it just consumes you, especially at such a young age. Because I remember I even compared myself to people Kasey Ridling (47:06) Mm-hmm. Maggie (47:09) Save yourself! Please! Kasey Ridling (47:10) Yeah, yeah. Everything Made Beautiful (47:11) Yeah. Ali (47:21) literally constantly to these 25 year olds who are showing up on my feed and I'm like, they're so pretty. And it turns out like, they've gotten work done, you know, like it's fake and it's a trap. And that is literally just the truth is that Kasey Ridling (47:22) you Maggie (47:32) Right. Kasey Ridling (47:33) Yeah. Ali (47:41) Instagram is fake. Filters exist for a reason. And it's because everybody's life isn't perfect. And yet on Instagram, it sure looks like they are, you know. And so then when you're when you're scrolling their life looks so perfect. And mine doesn't, you know, well, if I were to film the same thing they did, it sure would look perfect. You know, so there's absolutely no way to compare yourself. Kasey Ridling (47:42) Mm-hmm. Everything Made Beautiful (47:51) Yeah. Maggie (47:52) Well, yeah. Mm-hmm. Right. Ali (48:08) healthily. I don't even think that exists, So it's just it's a tight rope and such a slippery slope to figure out when the right time is to get it or if you even should get it, so it's such a trap. Kasey Ridling (48:09) you Everything Made Beautiful (48:10) Yeah, it's good. Kasey Ridling (48:23) Mm-hmm. I will s- Everything Made Beautiful (48:24) think that the four of us, think, I think the four of us though would agree that we will go out on the limb and say, mamas, if you have girls and they do not have Instagram or social media, wait as long as humanly possible. And it's okay that everybody else has it and they don't. As my dad used to say to me, yes, Shannon, others may, you may not. Kasey Ridling (48:35) Mm-hmm. Maggie (48:42) Yep. Kasey Ridling (48:46) Mm-hmm. Everything Made Beautiful (48:54) I, it feels antiquated and but everybody else is, but if we knew, which I think we do now, if we knew if my child ingests this, it will be toxic to them. We would think nothing of taking it right out of their hand. And this is the digital version of that. I remember Kasey or Ali help me remember if I butcher this, but I remember Kasey Ridling (48:58) Mm-hmm. Okay. Mm-hmm. Everything Made Beautiful (49:21) Pastor Darren addressing this because parents were saying, well, it's too late. Our kids already have social media. So now what are we supposed to do? And I think that his advice was have a conversation with your teenagers and say, Hey, what if we together agree that for X amount of time, we're going to fast from it and just see what the results are. And so is that right? I think that that was the, so that's Kasey Ridling (49:27) Mm-hmm. and Yeah, yeah. Everything Made Beautiful (49:51) That's my advice to you mamas. Keep it out as long as you feel good keeping it out. if you're like, my 14 year old has it and I wish she didn't, then consider what it might look like to have a conversation and just say, hey, let's put this away for a bit and pay attention to how we feel, pay attention to how we. Kasey Ridling (49:56) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Everything Made Beautiful (50:15) relax how our anxiety goes down and how much we're not thinking about what everyone is doing without us because we don't know what everyone is doing. Kasey Ridling (50:17) Mm-hmm. Mm-mm. Mm-mm. And if your kids do have it and you're like, gosh, and it's not like I can't take it away, like if that's the thing, there I will say Instagram is doing, you know me, I love social media, I've done it for a living, I've gotten paid to do social media before, but in past jobs, I will say Instagram is going down a path of really, that's really good and safe for teens. So if you are like, they have it, I don't know what to do, and you're not going to take, like if you're not gonna pass from it, if that's not right for your family right now. Maggie (50:23) Mm-hmm. Everything Made Beautiful (50:37) Mm-hmm. Kasey Ridling (50:52) at least change their account to a teen account because Instagram is doing a lot in the way of protecting teens right now, which is beautiful to see. It's not nearly where it should be. A, shouldn't, they should just, it should not be allowed until later on. But if they're going to at least make sure it's a teen account because there are so many rules and regulations to even getting an account and what you can do when you have a teen account. So at least make that change and Maggie (50:56) Hmm. Kasey Ridling (51:21) Be very transparent with your kids. Like check it always. Check it always because what I have seen is the really bad happen in the times where nobody's keeping anyone accountable. And that's when it gets unsafe. And that's when the negativity happens and whether it be like, I mean, I have heard some and experienced some really bad horror stories, but like just always, always, always be transparent about it if you are going to let them have it. That's what I will say. Maggie (51:53) I'll say too, I have, I mean I have my own phone. I'm living by myself. I don't have my parental controls from my actual parents anymore, but I still have parental controls or content restrictions on my phone because why risk it? Why risk it? Nothing that I want to see is gonna be blocked by this restriction. Everything Made Beautiful (51:53) Yeah. Kasey Ridling (52:09) Mm-hmm. Yeah. Maggie (52:22) Nothing that is good and helpful and worth anything is gonna be blocked by this restriction. But you know what else is? Everything I don't wanna see. And so why even give myself the opportunity when I can just wipe that clean and not have to worry about it? So that's definitely something that I use even now And it's amazing because I never have to worry about seeing something that I'm gonna wish that I didn't see, you know? Kasey Ridling (52:31) Okay. Everything Made Beautiful (52:38) Yeah, that's good. Kasey Ridling (52:49) Mm-hmm. Good. Everything Made Beautiful (52:51) Yeah, I'm a 48 year old and I have a screen time on social media. And so I don't remember if it's 30 or 45 minutes a day. And after that point it shuts off and I can't use the app again until the next day. Now, can I go around it? Yes. But is there really a need to ever go around it? Not usually. And it just, it just keeps me from just going down the rabbit hole and wasting time. could be spending doing something else. Maggie (52:55) haha Kasey Ridling (52:55) same. Mm-hmm. Mmm. Everything Made Beautiful (53:20) Kasey, just want to say on behalf of moms everywhere, thank you for the way that you're pouring into girls, into the next generation. You know, the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, and you are one of the people helping to beat back that darkness and being light for girls. And we want girls who know and love Jesus, but also know their worth and their value and understand how God has made them to thrive and you are speaking that over them. And I mean, good grief, there's sometimes a, there's a fight for whose daughter gets to be in Kasey's small group, which I completely understand. So thank you for that. Do you have any other ways that you have seen God making everything beautiful in its time? Kasey Ridling (53:59) you Yeah, yeah. mean, one of the big pillars of my life right now is that I lost my mom in 2021. And I mean, Shannon, as you know, losing a parent is the hardest thing that you can walk through. But in all of that, there has been there was beauty before she passed and everything like with our team, my our team at Church of the City and a bunch of volunteers and staff and people sent my family to Disney. So like there was this beautiful moment before we lost mom, which literally was like the beginning of the end. We had just gotten the phone call that she had six months to live and my team rallied around us and sent us to Disney. And it was this beautiful moment. And I really can look back at that where I was like, that was the last happy time. I remember my mom being happy. Because after that is when it went downhill really quickly with her cancer. But even after that, the way God has woven that into my story to A, still be able to help other girls who have walked along similar things. I have a girl who is 22 that I mentor through who also lost her mom to stage four ovarian cancer, which our journeys are very similar, but even to be able to walk alongside her in that, just a little bit ahead of her in that journey. And so even using that, which was so hard and is still so hard. And I don't think it'll ever not be hard, but like just using that as a pillar of my story to be like that happened. But look how God has like blessed me and my family afterwards. And like even my dad who has now it's just me my dad. I'm an only child. And my dad is living his best life being a school bus driver and getting to pour into all these little babies in elementary school. And he calls me once a week to tell me stories about these babies, but he's able to do this now and like. really live his best life and because of that and it feels like it feels like that really hard thing we walked through has been has had beautiful fruit from it which I didn't think would happen but it really has like just being able to use that as a hey like I understand what you're going through because grief is hard and let me tell you how my grief journey went and that can go to anything from that's like me and Maggie had a lot of those conversations when she was going through her breakup to to like, yeah, you, you're, lost a pet, like, with a sweet little six year old, but that's still like, that's the same. Let me talk to you about grief. Cause that's still hard. so having something that was what felt like in the moment world ending, like my whole world stopped because my mom was my best friend and everything. But then for life to like pick back up and like, it will never be the same. But now there's this beautiful thing that's come from it. And now I get to take my mom's legacy and really pour it out for anyone who comes in my path. Whether it be in the way of, me tell you this funny story that happened, or let me walk alongside of you in your grief. God has really made that beautiful, I didn't do something that was so dark and I didn't think it would ever be. I didn't think I would ever be on the other side of it. People were always like, yeah, but one day, you know, I'm like, Okay, sure. Yeah, yeah, because people, you know, they do not know what to say in moments like that. And they can't help themselves most of the time. And so sometimes they say the most unhelpful things. But honestly, it's true. Like, looking back at it now, And I'm like, there has really been some beautiful fruit that has come from that. So yeah. Ali (57:34) Thank Maggie (57:36) I can definitely see that, right? Ali (57:44) Hehehehehe Maggie (57:45) Mm-hmm. Everything Made Beautiful (57:59) Whoo, that's good. Yeah, it's hard. The loss of a parent is hard. The anniversary of my dad's passing was last week. And yeah, I'm like, those are the things that we trust God is making beautiful, even though we can't see that they're beautiful. And it doesn't mean he's making it look beautiful to me. But what you've talked about, which is the fruit and the legacy is beautiful. Kasey Ridling (58:00) Mm-hmm. Yeah. Everything Made Beautiful (58:27) as is the ability to comfort others with the same comfort that you have received. Which is what that gives us. Like there's something about grief that buffs off some rough edges in the same way parenting buffs stuff off and marriage buffs stuff off, loss and grief buff things off of us and give us a little bit softer places that help people who are walking through it after us. So, Kasey Ridling (58:41) Mm-hmm. Everything Made Beautiful (58:56) Your mom was a sweet, sweet, sweet woman. Love her. And you are a legacy because you are her legacy and all the best things of her are still with you. And that is sweet. Kasey Ridling (59:07) Thank you. Everything Made Beautiful (59:13) Well, girls, this was the best first surprise guest of all time, which y'all probably knew, which is why you did it. Yeah. Yeah. Well, Kasey, thank you for doing this. I was going to have you on the podcast anyway. So this is a really fun way to have you on the podcast. Maggie (59:21) we did. And we did. Kasey Ridling (59:22) Mm-hmm. Ali (59:22) We did, we did. Kasey Ridling (59:27) Of course. Yeah. Everything Made Beautiful (59:33) and there are hours more of conversation we could have. but for now, I just want to say, you mean the world to our family, ride or die. We're so grateful for you. And we're so glad that God has chosen to keep our lives intertwined. You know, some people come in seasons and go in other seasons. And I'm really glad that so far that has not been the case. I'm putting in my notice that I would like that to never be the case. Kasey Ridling (59:45) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I mean... Ali (1:00:01) Hehehehe Everything Made Beautiful (1:00:03) So thank you for your impact on our family and for doing this podcast. Kasey Ridling (1:00:05) Of Of course, back at y'all. Y'all are the best. I love you so much. Everything Made Beautiful (1:00:12) Maggie, Ali, thank you for doing this. It was so nice to hear other voices So thank you for doing this. Ali (1:00:18) Of course, of course. Maggie (1:00:18) always. Everything Made Beautiful (1:00:20) And to all of our fabulous listeners and viewers, we love you and we're so grateful that you've joined us on the podcast. I encourage you to come back next week and see who we've got because I like that sometimes there's going to be a surprise that I don't even know about. So thank you for listening. Thank you for watching. And this is just your reminder to keep your eyes open for the way that God is making everything beautiful, including you. and we'll see you next time.