Rachael Adams [00:00:03]:
You know, we want to live out the greatest commandment, to love the Lord God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourself, but yet to actually do that, to actually live out our faith in practical, ordinary ways, everyday ways, are we actually doing that? And do we really believe it in our hearts?
Introduction
Kim Moeller [00:00:24]:
Today’s episode, we are going to talk about about learning to love God, others, and even yourself. And that happens to be the tagline of a book by Rachael Adams. She is our guest today, the host of the very popular podcast called The Love Offering, and you’re gonna love being here and meeting her and hearing her story. I know it will encourage you. So put in your AirPods and take us on a walk with you. Alright. So glad you’re here.
Kim Moeller [00:00:59]:
Welcome to the Generous Girl podcast. Today is a special day because I’m joined with another podcast host named Rachael Adams. So it is a thrill to have her with us and she’s the host of the popular podcast called The Love Offering. And what I love about her story is she started this podcast because she used to believe a simple sentence or or reality in her mind that her life was small and as small as the town in rural Kentucky where she’s from. And then she found out that, no, like, she doesn’t live small. She’s not meant to live small, but God has made her to live large as he’s made each of us to live large, and she wants to help each of us to do that in our lives. So welcome, Rachael.
Rachael Adams [00:01:48]:
Hi, Kim. It is a pleasure to be with you today.
Kim Moeller [00:01:51]:
And I failed to mention that you’re also an author. Why don’t you talk about your latest book that you just published?
Rachael Adams [00:01:58]:
Yes. I am a Christian devotional writer. So Everyday Prayers for Love, Learning to Love God, Others, and Even Yourself just released in December, and I’m I’m excited to share that message with the world.
Kim Moeller [00:02:12]:
I love that on your title. I saw that and thought that’s really clever because, right, sometimes we can try to love everybody else, but if we’re not loving ourselves and who God made us, then we’re we’re missing something because he loves us so much. Well and you are a wife and mom of 2 teenage kids, and this is your full time job, hosting the podcast, being an author, reaching out to women. And what I really wanna do about this time is, you know, we talk about the 5 pillars of faith, family, fitness, finance, friendship, and yours is all about relationships. So we’re kind of gonna cover faith and family and friendship in this conversation. But for all of our friends listening, you’re gonna feel like you’re at a women’s retreat as you hear Rachael and you hear her truth that she shares. And I love that we’re going to involve everyone in your story in the first part of 2025 because I think it can really radically change how each of us see ourselves, and I’m so glad that we connected and found each other. So, again, welcome.
The Love Offering Podcast
Kim Moeller [00:03:20]:
And, yeah, why don’t we start with, Rachael, you telling the story of how God laid it on your heart to start this podcast?
Rachael Adams [00:03:28]:
You know, it it starts really at the beginning. I’m born and raised in a small town in Kentucky, in the middle of, 2 brothers. My parents were divorced. I’ve always lived in this hometown, met my husband the very first day of college, and then we married, about 4 years later. I moved him to my small town, and then like you said, we have these 2 children and so, a stay at home mom. And so most of my days are spent in the very beginning sweeping up Cheerios and with bottles and playing blocks and dolls and cars and all the things. And now it looks more like carpool and packing lunches and helping with, homework and attending ball games. And it really is a joy to get to serve in those ways, but often it can feel insignificant and, like, it doesn’t really matter.
Rachael Adams [00:04:19]:
When my son, Will, was born, he’s 15, almost 16 now, I really was lonely and didn’t have very many friends and very many relationships. And so it was at that point that I really started to develop my relationship with the Lord. And that is when it just made all the difference, and I started to attend church, out of an invitation from somebody that I met at the local library. And after I started attending church, there was another woman that invited me to Sunday school and another woman that invited me to Wednesday night bible study and just the more I would get involved in church, the more fulfilled I would feel. And which is interesting because it’s like, well, you think the more you’re pouring out, you would be empty, but it was actually this this living water, this overflowing in my my heart and in my soul. And so one morning at, on the Sunday service, there was a love offering envelope in front of me, and I sensed the Lord saying, Rachael, you are my love offering. I’ve given you my love. How are you going to extend my love to the world around you? And because I deal with insecurity and inadequacy, I thought, Lord, I don’t know.
Rachael Adams [00:05:26]:
I know that you’ve given me gifts and and talents. That’s at least what your word tells me, but yet I don’t necessarily believe it in my heart. And so I was talking to a friend about that, and she said, Rachael, it’d be really interesting if you just started to talk to other people and see if they’re struggling with the same concept. You know, we want to live out the greatest commandment, to love the Lord God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. But yet to actually do that, to actually live out our faith in practical, ordinary ways, everyday ways, are we actually doing that? And do we really believe it in our hearts? And so that’s how it started, and here I am 7 years later, this is the 7th season, just having conversations with ordinary women women that are trying to live out their faith in practical ways.
Kim Moeller [00:06:15]:
Oh, it’s so inspirational because you, like me, were both connectors. And so I think having a platform of a podcast is the funniest thing ever because all of the wisdom you’ve been gleaning for these 7 seasons, it’s not just like you and your friend in Kentucky, but you’re talking to share the story so others can benefit. And that’s, to me, the greatest part about technology is we’re sitting in Kentucky and Southern California having this conversation, but the Lord has plans, and he he knows every every friend listening. He wants her to take something out of your learnings, my learnings, and really to live the greatest story that he’s made her for. Because, again, we I think it’s we’re our biggest sometimes critic, our biggest enemy, our biggest roadblock in our own lives, and and God’s just, like, the biggest cheerleader going, keep going. I know that was really hard, but go ahead. I’ve got great plans for you. And so when you went into season 1, was that, you know, really scary starting the podcast, or what were some of your learnings? I mean, for me, when I look back on my very first episode at YouTube, the lighting was so bad. I just wish I could have just pulled it off of there and redone it, but someone said, just keep going.
Kim Moeller [00:07:35]:
And I thought, alright. Done is better than perfect. I’m just gonna keep going. So
Rachael Adams [00:07:39]:
Yeah. No. I’m the exact same way. Well, when I first started, I thought, who am I gonna interview? Who is going to say yes to me? You know, the small town Kentucky girl that nobody knows and still nobody knows. You know? Why would they say yes to me? But the Lord has just provided people that are willing to share their stories and their testimonies and their experiences. And like you said, it’s been it has been such a gift to get to meet new friends and to learn from them and to hear their wisdom. They’re all so different. That’s what’s so beautiful.
Significance & Calling
Rachael Adams [00:08:09]:
It’s like wherever they live and their experiences and their backgrounds and their certain beliefs and who God surrounded with them, their passions and their visions. And so that’s been such a gift to me that I I didn’t even anticipate, honestly. But, yes, I was scared nobody would would say yes. I, of course, deal with inadequacy, and so I thought, do I even have anything to share of of value? And I’ve I heard somebody not long ago say, Rachael, I listened to your very first episode because I wanted to compare myself to the Rachael 7 years ago and not the Rachael now. Oh. And so and part of me was a little bit embarrassed like, oh my gosh. I’m sure it was terrible. I used to I used to actually write down everything that I was gonna say because I wanted to edit it so much.
Rachael Adams [00:08:54]:
And even if I was gonna be interviewed on a podcast, I used to write down every single word, every answer to everything because I I just didn’t trust myself, and I didn’t even trust the Holy Spirit in me to speak through me. Right? And so I have grown so much in that and developed confidence and honestly, Kim, even a little bit more of a backstory. When I was in college, I wanted to be Katie Couric. That’s what I thought I wanted to be broadcast journalist, and so I took a public speaking class. I was gonna be in the journalism major. And so in that very first public speaking class, I was supposed to give a persuasive speech and I flunked it. It was so terrible because I was so nervous. And so I actually dropped out of the major and switched to business because I didn’t think that I had what it took.
Rachael Adams [00:09:40]:
And what’s fascinating about that now is here I am speaking, you know, almost every single day on the podcast, writing within my in, you know, in books and devotionals, and then speaking on stages at conferences and at church and then and in a really beautiful full circle moment, just only how the Lord can can do, how he does. I got to be on Good Morning America and 2 years ago to promote my my my devotional. And, it was not lost on me that the Lord had given me that dream over 2 decades ago and and that he you know, I I think so many times we just we doubt what we that we have, what it takes, and I think in our doubting and even in our weakness, God can still work through that and he can answer our dreams and, and in his own time, in his own way. And so I, I it was such a beautiful confirmation to me and I just hope everybody listening
Kim Moeller [00:10:36]:
Yes.
Rachael Adams [00:10:37]:
Hears that as well. Like, listen to what the Lord is speaking over you and and what you’re dreaming about may happen in a very different way in a different time, than you originally thought.
Kim Moeller [00:10:47]:
I think that’s so, so true. And I think when we think of being a Christian and it being in it for the long run and the long game, a paradigm that for me gets me through the challenging times, because even though my prayers that I’m praying might not be answered right now, it might be 20 years, it might be 10 years, it might be 10 days, but all of that will be a blink in eternity. And I I he never wastes a hurt. He never wastes you know, you thought you, quote, flunked and failed the class, and yet he said no. This is all part of your story. And sometimes I think we can be the ones then who just we think of it as failure, and we don’t pursue it. And we just say, no. We’re done. I can’t sing.
Kim Moeller [00:11:34]:
I can’t act. I can’t do whatever that passion is within us. My kids, 3 of my kids had one teacher for 6th grade in elementary school, and he one of his big goals with these kids, it was a, you know, GATE program, the gifted public school program. He wanted them to learn to fail in that class. And when I had the 6th grade age kids, I thought, okay. You know, I really trusted him for his wisdom, but I didn’t understand the importance of it, I think, then of showing these kids who might not have, quote, failed until that 6th grade class that it was so necessary for them to be all they were born to be. And I’m really, really grateful for that now. And I think for all of us, like, it’s almost like we need to get rid of that word in our vocabulary because we’re never, quote, a failure, and we’ve never failed in God’s eyes.
Kim Moeller [00:12:28]:
It’s just all part of the way, you know, he weaves the story. My my husband and I watched this movie recently called the 2 popes. I don’t know if you’ve seen it or not. No. Really fascinating movie because it’s about the pope who was elected, you know, with the conclave, and he was from Germany. But then he only lasted, like, 5 years until he voluntarily stepped down while he’s still alive and still could have been pope, and then the current pope was elected. So it’s there’s only been one other time in history where the 2 have were both alive, you know, coexisting at the same time. And he this one from Germany did pass away a couple of years ago, and the current one is from Argentina.
Kim Moeller [00:13:12]:
But what I loved about his story was he had a really hard time as a priest in Argentina and really felt like a failure. And it was a big, you know, kind of revolution, and he’s kinda sided with the wrong side and made terrible enemies he felt and hurt people that he loved dearly. And so he felt when he people were talking to him about becoming pope that I can’t. There’s no way I could be pope with that happening. And I just love that the people that all voted for him knew his story and believed in redemption. And here, he’s pope today, and he’s really because of that, what happened, he’s a man of the people, and he’s not prideful and cocky, but very, very humble and feels like he’s the one least deserving of this position. So some it was just a really well done movie. And I just think, again, how we see ourselves.
Kim Moeller [00:14:07]:
Like, he had to really wrestle through what he felt he had done wrong or failed, and yet God, he always knows the story. He always knows what he can do through it if we if we surrender, right, and let him work with it.
Rachael Adams [00:14:21]:
Yeah. Oh, I have to watch that. That sounds fascinating. And I think you’re right. Like, our whole lives are God’s training grounds. And He is preparing us in every single experience. And when we are weak, that’s when He is strong. You know, you look at anybody in the Bible, every single person had failures and had places that they probably wish that they could take back, but they repented and then they gave their life to the Lord and he he worked through them anyway.
Rachael Adams [00:14:47]:
And so the same is true for us.
Kim Moeller [00:14:50]:
So what would you say to our friend listening who is in that life stage of being at home, like we talked about before the recording, making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, feeling insignificant, feeling like no one sees her obviously making a difference for her little ones? What would you say to that woman? And then on the converse, what would you say to the woman who all the littles are grown and flown and now still feels as if, what am I gonna do now? How can I even make a difference, feel significant at this stage?
Value and Worth
Rachael Adams [00:15:22]:
Yeah. I I would say you’re not alone. So many of us struggle with this tension of wanting to feel significant, wanting a life of value and worth, and yet feeling the exact opposite. And, in fact, I was sharing with you, I polled my podcast listeners, and from a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the least and 10 being the greatest, asked them how much they felt their contribution mattered, and the the average answer was a 3. And then I asked them if, when asked if they believed if their contribution mattered, 83% responded no. And and this is Christian women and so I just found that really disheartening and discouraging and so you’re not alone, but we need to change this narrative. I think I think first we have to just look at the Bible and see how many times God used little things. For example, Jesus himself, he was born as a baby in the tiny town of Bethlehem, and he never traveled outside a 100 mile radius.
Rachael Adams [00:16:26]:
And he attended weddings and funerals. He attended synagogues. He held children. He washed feet. He shared 1 cup of water with 1 woman beside a well. He praised the leper who said thank you. He noticed the woman who touched his garment. He noticed the little man up in a tree.
Kim Moeller [00:16:47]:
He noticed the the woman who gave 2 coins as her offering. That’s the kind of God that we serve. And so I think that when you look at the things that we’re doing, we’re attending weddings and funerals and churches and sharing meals and holding children and, praying with people and having conversations over a cup of coffee. You know, those are all things that we can do too, and God valued those things. And so I think if God valued those things in in the Bible, he values those things in our lives today too.
Kim Moeller [00:17:20]:
I agree. And I like how when you were figuring out your own journey, you took the next step. Like, you attended Sunday school and then, okay, from there, that led you to someone and that led to the next step. And I really believe in that, you you know, God can’t steer a parked car. So we need to take the the first step and and recognize, okay, if we’re feeling this way, what’s one step I could do today that would go against that that feeling? Because our our feelings become our thoughts. And so okay. If we’re feeling insignificant, what does he want me to volunteer in a food pantry, maybe? Does he want me to be the room mom? Or, it many, many things could come to mind of of what we could do. But I as we were talking before the interview, I I really found it really interesting that you wrote the book for younger moms, and then you’re finding that the moms in their later forties, fifties whose kids are grown now are the ones really resonating.
Kim Moeller [00:18:21]:
Can you say more about that in that life stage, what you’re finding with their comments and surveys?
Rachael Adams [00:18:26]:
Yeah. And that was such a surprise to me, but I don’t know why it was such a surprise to me. You know? Because those are the people that maybe physically aren’t don’t have the energy that they used to. They aren’t getting the affirmation from the job, you know, description and and the the boss and the employees and the sales numbers and the the growth, I guess, that you can often see with your work. And then, oftentimes they’re more alone. And so it’s almost like they have lost their mission and their vision, but I think it’s exactly at that time that you can really spend time with the Lord. There’s a specifically a story that I read from Franklin Graham. He’s the grandson of well known evangelist, Billy Graham.
Rachael Adams [00:19:09]:
And as Billy Graham was reflecting on his life, he said that he would have, he thinks he should have spent more time on his knees in prayer and studying God’s word and less time on a stage preaching. And this is somebody who led thousands of people to the Lord, and he says that spending time in God’s word and praying would have been more effective use of his time. And so I think so often we even just discount that, our time in prayer and our time spending time with the Lord. And that is something that we can all do, and that’s something very unseen that that nobody notices, but we can affect so much more when we allow God to work through us. He can affect 1,000,000 and he has the power to do so. And so I think it it really is those small things, a little look to the person that you see at the post office or the homeless person or a smile or a person or a smile or a note that you can write or inviting somebody to a meal or giving a gift of a Bible or, you know, there’s so many ways in your church to be able to serve in in the nursery holding children. I think if you really just start with a prayer each day, Lord, help help me to see people the way you see them and then give me your eyes to see the need in front of me and how I can meet that need and help me to say yes and be willing and obedient to your leading.
Kim Moeller [00:20:29]:
Mhmm. It reminds me of that quote by Martin Luther of I had so much to do today. I had to take 3 hours to pray and the paradox of that. And yet you’re absolutely right in how when we get out of the way, I think the prayer, the huge part of it is by praying, it does allow us to empty ourselves and realize we we are just nothing without him and then allowing him to work through us and affect the millions rather than on in our own strength who might affect, you know, one person. Mhmm. That yeah. So good. So good.
Kim Moeller [00:21:06]:
Well so I think it sounds like with your passion in touching on helping women feel more significant, you then, with your books, gone into, like, daily devotional. And so if the woman reads this one day and I have this also this everyday prayers of love here. If you’re on watch on YouTube, you could see the cute cover. So tell us more about how the maybe there’s a
Kim Moeller [00:21:30]:
woman listening who’s always wanted to write a book. So how how about your journey of how you got into book publishing?
Rachael Adams [00:21:38]:
Yeah. And that’s been a little by little too and something that I think people have come alongside me to help me in the process. I started actually, was just leading Bible study. Our women’s ministry leader at church approached me and said, Rachael, would you be interested in leading? And I, of course, said, gosh, what do I have to offer? You know, I’ve just now have read the bible all the way through and but as I prayed about it, I felt like the Lord was like, you know what, Rachael? You can put in a video, you can facilitate conversation, and you can brew some coffee. Right? And so, I ended up saying yes, but it was in one of those Bible studies that I just felt that soft whisper like I had talked about before with the podcast, of him just saying, Rachael, it it’s time to write. And so I I thought, what what is it that I need to write? But that same woman, Sarah, that was the women’s ministry leader, she had attended She Speaks, which is a ministry through Proverbs 31. And she had attended. And so I thought, okay.
Rachael Adams [00:22:35]:
Well, maybe that’s something that I could also do. And so I went the pre the next year and had a proposal in hand and met met with acquisitions editors. And there was one specific specific editor who I had a meeting with and she did not like my idea. She was not encouraging at all. And I went back to my room and I contemplated just packing up my bags and I’m like, Lord, I’ve heard you wrong. And then there was the song by Lauren Daigle that came on that it’s You Say, and it says, I keep finding voices in my mind that tell me I’m not enough, but no word You say, and that starts to list all this affirmation from the Lord. And so I stayed, and the acquisitions editor, she actually said, I think you should get an agent, and I think that there’s something to this love offering concept that you have in your proposal, which was just a calendar at the time. It was ideas of ways that you can offer your love, throughout the month.
Rachael Adams [00:23:30]:
And so that’s actually when, I ended up finding that love offering, that envelope, and then I started the podcast. And because I had the podcast, I interviewed an agent named Blythe Daniel. And the very next year, as she speaks, I had an an interview with her. And she said, Rachael, I don’t necessarily like your idea, but I do really like you. Would you be willing to work on a proposal with me? And so I said, yes. I would be willing to work. Well, unbeknownst to me, 2 years we worked on a book proposal, and it was we worked through hundreds of titles and taglines, and at one point, I’ve actually, at many points, I wanted to give up. And, finally, I went to an editor friend and said, can you make any sense of all this? This is everything.
Good Morning America
Kim Moeller [00:24:18]:
This is basically my junk drawer of ideas. Can you make any sense of this? And so she said, Rachael, I really feel like you’re trying to get at the heart of significance. And so I went back to my agent and said, how do you what do you think about simply significant? And she said, oh, I love it. And so that’s what we finally pitched it after 2 years of working on it together and the publisher came back and said, we really like this idea of significance, but what if we titled it A Little Goes a Long Way? And so it wasn’t even my idea, and I say that just to be just completely transparent and completely honest with everybody listening that people can come alongside you to help you in your journey and trust them and use their wisdom. And the heart of the book is the same, but it’s just packaged in a much different way. And it’s been such a gift to be able to share this message. It’s one that I wholeheartedly believe in that has helped me, and I know as people have been reading it and sharing their experience with me, it has helped them as well. And and then it’s given me experiences like being on Good Morning America, which was another dream come true, so I’m thankful for that.
Everyday Prayers for Love
Rachael Adams [00:25:23]:
Hey. Actually, if I can so my second book, The Everyday Prayers for Love, that I just attended a conference and it was, it was called Communicators Collective and I was at just a meal with a group of ladies. It was a very just casual, nothing special about it. And I met a woman named Rachael Wojo and she approached me afterwards and she said, hey. I I just felt like the Lord is telling me to invite you to my mastermind group. And so I said, okay. I’d love to be a part of it, not really knowing who was who was in it. And then I joined this mastermind group and it’s a group of women that are much more accomplished than I am with much more experience.
Rachael Adams [00:26:06]:
You’re very welcome. Why in the world did they let me in this group? Aw. I’ve learned so much from them. And one of the women in that group, her name is Brooke McLaughlin. She is the founder of Million Praying Moms, and she actually approached me and said, I know you’re the podcast host of The Love Offering and, know and have experienced now your love and have the series of everyday prayers for all the fruit of the spirit. Would you be willing to write the one on love? And so that book and I think that’s why I wanted to share both stories because they happened in such different ways. 1, I was really working hard to get and pursue, and the other one was just like the Lord saying, here you go. I’m just gonna give this to you.
Kim Moeller [00:26:49]:
But, again, goes back to our conversation about being prepared, connecting with people, you know, because I had done the work. Right. But he he did end up just saying, yes. This is a book for you. And it was actually what’s so needed. Again, another full circle moment. It was actually the book that I pitched all those years ago at She Speaks. But it was, again, in a way in much different time and way than I originally thought. Okay. Unpack a little bit for the friend listening about She Speaks. So if someone’s interested and they think, yes, that I love that. I wanna go. What is it? Explain more about that.
Kim Moeller [00:27:23]:
Absolutely. It, so it is if you are interested in writing or speaking or any kind of leadership in ministry, it’s through Proverbs 31 Ministries, and it’s in Charlotte, and it’s in Charlotte, North Carolina annually. And it is just a a group of women that get together and have there’s worship, there’s classes, and then you can have the opportunity to have meetings with agents and acquisitions editors to present your proposal to them, if you have a book idea. And the connections that I make at those conferences, the people it’s always the people that I meet that become friends and podcast, you know, guests and people that you just are cheering each other on and even then, you know, inviting each other to your different churches to come and speak. It’s just such a gift to meet the people but and to make those connections and and then to, you know, a lot of times when you’re sending out a book proposal, publishers don’t accept unsolicited manuscripts and many, many agents, like my agent, she didn’t like my proposal. She did like me. And so to get face to face with somebody is just, I think, so important. Right.
Rachael Adams [00:28:34]:
You know, in those experiences, actually had one woman who was a stranger. Her name is Micah Maddox. I know her now. She’s a dear friend now. But she actually approached me and said, I feel like the Lord is leading me to give you one of my appointments. And I just shared they’re only you only get three if you’re lucky and how important those are. And I said, you cannot give me your appointment. And she said, no.
Rachael Adams [00:28:57]:
I really think I’d be disobedient if I didn’t give it to you. So we exchanged phone numbers and I said, if you feel this way in the morning, let me know. And so she sent me a text the very next morning with her name crossed out and my name written in her place. And I met with that publishing house and they were interested in my proposal. Wow. And so, I just, you know, it’s things like that that you can’t explain in any other way than people’s generosity and Right. And just the Lord working and the Holy Spirit working. And so I would highly recommend people attending that conference.
Rachael Adams [00:29:29]:
It is how I got my start. I believe in their mission, and I think they’re beautiful people at at their heart and really want to see the gospel and the kingdom spread.
Kim Moeller [00:29:40]:
Oh, so great. And like you said, the relationships, the unexpected friendships, the you have no idea which connection might lead to something. And you’re speaking to me right now because when I when my kids were little, I used to speak at the MOPS groups around here, and I would talk about, like, saving your resources, maximizing what you have. So I put it together into a book called Virtually New for Virtually Nothing, the tagline, like, maximizing your resources for today’s challenging economic times. And then a friend of mine has her she’s a agent. So she shopped it all around, and we got so close to this one publisher saying yes. And and then it was just at the last minute. No.
Rachael Adams [00:30:27]:
They’re not going to. So at that point, I just decided, you know what? I’m just gonna self publish and at least get it out there. And but what’s funny is so it’s been out there. It certainly has not been a best seller by any any means. But the part that was good at that season was it gave me a little more credibility, legitimacy to say I’m an author even though it’s I mean, I don’t even know how many pages it is. Maybe 75. But what’s so funny is in the last 4 months, I’ve probably gotten 10, 15 calls from different random people talking about, hey. This book looks good for this time, and we wanna, you know, go forward with it, not to publish it, but somehow to promote it.
Kim Moeller [00:31:08]:
I don’t know if it’s a scam. You know, it’s different groups, but I’ve done nothing with those messages. So so you’re motivating me. Maybe I should just call one of the people back and see what they think.
Rachael Adams [00:31:18]:
It’s true. And I think and you you just never know. I think, I’m trying to think. I think it was, doctor Gary Chapman that said, like, the very first year that he published his book, these numbers may not be exactly accurate, but, like, he sold, like, 4,000 copies or something. And then now every year after, he continually sells more than the previous year. And so there you know, it’s it’s just God’s upside down economy. It is. We really we really don’t know how he’s gonna use it.
Rachael Adams [00:31:44]:
Mhmm. And there is just the one person if it encouraged the one person. Right? And and that’s and maybe it’s us. Maybe it’s because we spent time in God’s word and it was teaching us. And so I think none of it is wasted, none of these experiences. And I just always go back to and this is one of the biggest the Bible verse that really was the heart of A Little Goes A Long Way. Like, do not despise small beginnings because the Lord rejoices to see the work begin. And that comes out of Zechariah 4:10 that it’s that when the the Jews were going to rebuild the temple and they were looking at what they were building in comparison to what King Solomon had built.
Rachael Adams [00:32:22]:
And, of course, in comparison, it didn’t feel like as much or as grand or as good. And but yet, the Lord was just rejoicing to see them begin it. And and so I think that so many of us, we we look at somebody’s 20 years down the road Yes. And look at our, you know, just one little email or just one little paragraph or whatever, and we’re comparing ourselves to somebody else and we need to just begin and just let the Lord, let the Lord take your little long way. You don’t have to do that. He’s the multiplier. Mhmm.
Starting a Podcast
Kim Moeller [00:32:55]:
When I was asked to do this podcast by my boss at the National Christian Foundation, he said, don’t worry about the numbers. Don’t worry about the views. And that was the best advice because I really wasn’t even worried about it when we were talking about making it. And then once I made it, I thought, oh, no. Is anyone watching? And you can just you can we can stop ourselves. You know? And I could’ve just said, no. Not gonna keep going. But hearing that in my head of don’t worry about the numbers was just so nice because, again, if one person is listening to our conversation right now and their life changes, that’s the whole purpose of this podcast.
Rachael Adams [00:33:30]:
So That’s right. That’s right. I think I’m probably gonna butcher this story a little bit, but there was a a man that had this church, and he had worn down at the like, this specific area where he had prayed. And they found later that Billy Graham was, like he went to go and tour that church and, like, was praying in the exact same spot. And so I think it’s like, okay. Well, maybe all of your work is to create Billy Graham that’s gonna do even more work. You know? Like, we forget the generational impact. Yes.
Rachael Adams [00:34:02]:
We and we never know. I mean, we I think we even read scripture that way. I think, you know, Esther probably didn’t realize the impact she was gonna have. Paul probably didn’t That’s right. Realize the impact he was gonna have. They were just going about their ordinary lives and trying to be obedient. And so many of these people, we can read their stories within one sitting if we want, and we’re reading their highlight reel. But they had many of those ordinary everyday moments too.
Rachael Adams [00:34:27]:
And if you really wrote down the story of your life and you just told your highlights, it would be pretty impressive too.
Kim Moeller [00:34:33]:
So, so true. And that’s where
Kim Moeller [00:34:35]:
I think gratitude comes in, which then leads to generosity. And, you know, obviously, this podcast is called The Generous Girl, and I think the generous girl lives that life who, at the heart of her life, is super grateful for whatever God’s given her, the hard, the good, the bad, the ugly. And then it’s just an automatic outflow into how she uses her time, how she uses her talents, and how she uses her treasures. And that’s what I love about all these different guests. You know, like, we had the gal in January that talked all about fitness, physical fitness. And she had this whole subscription all set up, and then she felt like God told her, just give it away for free and just use her workouts for free. And she was obedient. And who knows who knows what God will continue to do with with that platform? But That’s right.
Kim Moeller [00:35:24]:
I think the gratitude piece also you know, I always talk about, like, what has the guest done with overcoming adversity? And yours, you’d mentioned in our pre conversation, you it was more of, like, an internal work that God has done with how you see yourself and your significance. And that’s no small thing to work on that because that from that flows everything else. So I didn’t know before we transitioned, you know, to your favorite book, Bible verse and bargain. Did you wanna say any more on the mental work that you’ve done or the healing work that God has done with your own significance and how you see yourself? Yeah. Because I call you as very significant, obviously.
Rachael Adams [00:36:07]:
It’s a constant battle even still. I think just with society, bigger is better and there’s always you know, we can always look younger. We can always be fitter, we can always be smarter, we can always be, you know, more and more and more. As soon as you reach one level, it’s like there’s an because I’m a performance oriented act you know, achievement oriented type person and so it can almost feel like you’re just never enough, you know. You can never reach perfection and and we know that only Jesus was perfect. But, yeah, we continue to strive for it. Right? And and we wanna steward our gifts well and we don’t wanna bury our talents. But I think just being in God’s word and and really just understanding how he feels about me and how much he loves me helps to receive his affirmation.
Rachael Adams [00:36:49]:
But long ago, my husband said two specific things. 1, I’ve struggled with some body image and somebody said something to me and I came home and just was reeling about it, and he then wrote me a note and left me an index card on my bathroom mirror that said, Rachael, you are God’s workmanship and what a beautiful work he’s created. And that index card is still on my bathroom mirror because I need that reminder, not just for my physical appearance, but but for my my mental and emotional and just, you know, how he’s created me spiritually. And then secondly, he said, Rachael, if you could only see yourself through my eyes, it would change your world. Because I I’m seeing myself through the wrong lens, and that’s so I think for everybody listening, if you can only see yourself the way that God sees you, it would change your world. And then once we have that confidence in how he made us, that God doesn’t make mistakes. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. He knit us together in our mother’s womb.
Rachael Adams [00:37:45]:
Mhmm. And that’s how he’s made us, and that’s how he’s made everybody else. And so that’s how we should treat them and love ourselves. And then we can’t love our neighbors as ourselves if we don’t even love ourselves. Right? And so that’s a continual work that he is helping me to change the way I view myself and the way that I view others. And I’ve not perfected it, but but making some progress.
Kim Moeller [00:38:09]:
So beautiful. Okay. So just tell the listener then where they can find your books and your website, any of that helpful information so they can follow you or purchase your latest copy of your book.
Rachael Adams [00:38:22]:
Well, I would love to connect. You can find me at Rachaelkeck or actually Rachaelkadams.com and then at Rachaeladamsauthor on social media. The books are available anywhere online, books are sold, and the podcast is available on any listening platform. I have several quizzes that you can take, what makes you lovable, and what attributes of love do you live out the best. I have those on my website as well as some other free resources. And I I would love to connect. I think we’ve talked about the value in relationships and encouragement and just the I believe every little encounter, every conversation, every prayer prayed, it all matters.
Favorite Bible Verse, Book, and Bargain
Rachael Adams [00:39:00]:
Mhmm. Me too. What’s your current book that you’re reading in 2025?
Kim Moeller [00:39:06]:
So this lady is she’s a part of my mastermind, and so she actually sent me this book to just as a kind of an endorsement copy that I’ve been reading it and loving it because my my word of the year I feel like I’ve lost a little bit of my joy and just my striving, a little bit. And so it’s delighting in Jesus. It’s by Asharita Choo Choo. And it’s rhythms to restore joy when you feel burned out, broken, and burnt out. And so I think just the going back to the burdens that we feel, this idea of, like, always wanting to achieve more and do more and just feeling, you know, just hurt sometimes by the world. So delighting in Jesus is the current book that I’m reading now by Asharita Choo Choo.
Kim Moeller [00:39:46]:
Wonderful. Wonderful. And your favorite bible verse?
Rachael Adams [00:39:50]:
So that one because of the latest book that I’ve released, I’ve been trying to live out the Ephesians 3 17 through 19 and it says, I pray that you being rooted and established in love, grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. So that really is my prayer that everyone, myself included, realized how significant and valuable and loved we already are and that that overflows into the lives of others.
Kim Moeller [00:40:27]:
Oh, that’s beautiful. Okay. And last but not least, any bargain from Kentucky or online?
Rachael Adams [00:40:34]:
Well, I think, there’s this website that I really love. It’s Quince, q u I n c e, And they have a lot of really nice products like cashmere sweaters for this time of year that are, like, $50, which for cashmere, I feel like is pretty good, and their quality is really good. And there’s a specific dress from Anthropologie that I really like that they have kind of a maybe a knockoff version that looks exactly the same in tons of different colors, and their price point is much better. So I would recommend Quince. I I think everybody, if you like to shop for clothes, which I do, that is a good option for you.
Kim Moeller [00:41:14]:
Oh, that’s great. Shout out to Quince because my, son and his wife gave me their 2 little leather travel pouches for Christmas. So
Rachael Adams [00:41:23]:
I’m a fan of that brand also.
Kim Moeller [00:41:27]:
Well, so wonderful, Rachael. What a treat to have you on the podcast. And, you know, I’m reflecting back when I was mentioning that elementary school teacher, and I just wanna shout out his name, which was Doug Yount. So in case he’s listening or he and his wife are listening, I wanted to make sure I said their names. Just all the ways that, you know, he poured into our kids. You’re pouring into all the women listening, and God uses every one of these conversations, every encounter, and it’s just it it’s an exciting time to be alive. 2025, so many things going on globally, so many things going on in the United States, so many things going on in our little neighborhoods wherever we live, and God is saying, I wanna use you. I put you there.
Kim Moeller [00:42:10]:
It’s not a mistake. You know, Acts 1726. Like, this is the place where you dwell and have your being, and these are the boundaries that I’ve set out for you. And all of us, like, just recognizing that, embracing that, and then watching, you know, so we can reflect back on 2025 to see, wow, look what he did, and he gets all the glory. So love, love, love your story and how God is using you and hope at some point we can meet in person. So God bless, and thanks for your generosity of being on the Generous
Kim Moeller [00:42:45]:
Girl podcast. Thank you so much for having me. Thanks so
Kim Moeller [00:42:49]:
much for joining us today on the Generous Girl podcast. We’re so glad that you’re here. And if you know of someone that you think needs to be a guest on this podcast, please reach out to us. New episodes are released every other week, and you can follow us on YouTube and on all platforms. Thanks for being here, and we’ll see you next time.
