Hi everyone. Welcome back to the Generous Girl podcast. I am joined in my studio today with a very special guest Chaundel Holladay. Chaundel is married to Tom Holladay. Tom was a pastor at Saddleback for 32 years, and Shondell was right there to decide Tom created drive time devotions, if any of you, have listened to that wonderful app. It’s amazing. And I met Chaundel because my husband years ago in 2000 was a pastor at Saddleback. And Chaundel was over all of the pastor’s wives at Saddleback Church. So welcome, Chaundel. It’s so great to have you here.
Chaundel Holladay [00:01:17]:
Hi. It’s wonderful to be with you, Kim.
Kim Moeller [00:01:20]:
And tell us then that whoever I’d love to start is a little bit about your family. And tell me how you met your spouse, your background, around, and people then will have a chance to know even though you’re living here in, you know, Busy Southern California, I believe we grew up in a smaller town.
Chaundel Holladay [00:01:38]:
We did. For those of you who don’t know, I am Rick Warren’s sister. And Rick and I were both born in San Jose, California. And then we grew up in He’s very accurate when he says a little town of less than 500 people and called Redwood Valley, California. And it was fun. Really fun. We had 5 acres and a pond, and Rick was kind of like Tom Sawyer out on his raft every day on the pond, and it was hilarious and and very fun. I’m his younger sister, so I idolized him growing up. But we my husband, Tom, also grew up in the little town of Ukiah, and we all went to high school together. And so in my mind, it was like, I’m never moving to Southern California. Well, actually, we went to college in Southern California, But I was like, this is not for me. I’m going back, and I’m never coming back down here again. You know, there’s a real prejudice between Northern California, Southern California. It’s, they’re stealing our water, and there are no trees. But, anyway, god had a different idea. And about 33 years ago now, he called us to Southern California, and we have been here ever since. And I’m still grappling with the fact that now I’ve lived here longer than I ever did in in California, but we’re not gonna talk about that.
Kim Moeller [00:02:58]:
Well, it’s it’s your roots, though. You know, I think it was just yesterday, I saw a post of Rick and all of his vegetables that he grew in his garden. And I was a big gardener.
Chaundel Holladay [00:03:10]:
Yeah. So you can just kind of I’m a big gardener.
Kim Moeller [00:03:13]:
where that came from. And but that’s so amazing. It was a huge label. What does he even do with everything? Does he just get them to his neighbors? Or — Yeah. Yeah. He does. He does.
Chaundel Holladay [00:03:23]:
really, seriously, god called this time. You know, Rick had asked us to come on staff several times, and we said, oh, no. That’s duplication of effort. You know, I couldn’t imagine Tom not being a senior pastor, but it really is a big marker in my lifetime of trusting God when it doesn’t make sense. Mhmm. Yeah. And, actually, the first one in my life was marrying Tom because he wasn’t like Rick Warren. You know? He was a different personality, and and he was a younger believer. And I thought, oh, I don’t wanna lead him and everything. But god God just worked and began to slowly show me over four and a half years that this was the guy for me. And I literally thank god every single day that I married him. And we have been married 45 years now, and it’s just it was the first time in my life where I saw, oh, there was a popular, like, Christian bookstore saying that said at the time that said god gives the best to those who leave the choice with him. That it really it really marked me. And so then all I was saying was then the move to Saddleback was another one of those things. So I it didn’t make sense to me. I didn’t want to do it. And, you know, people who talk to me later said, you’re crazy. I mean, who wouldn’t die for that position? And I’m going, I didn’t want to move Southern California. And I I didn’t you know, it just felt it didn’t feel like a good idea, you know, to me. Well, you know what? God is a lot better than I am. He look at it. — always is. Right? And, you know, I go back to those things. and several others almost daily. I mean, I really do and the fact that god does know better than I do. But you know what? God knows better sometimes about my daily plans too, and we’ll talk a little bit more about that.
Kim Moeller [00:05:18]:
Mhmm. Okay. So then three kids. Right? And how many grandkids?
Chaundel Holladay [00:05:24]:
Well, it’s going to be 10.
Kim Moeller [00:05:27]:
Wow. Oh, so in exciting, so exciting. And you’re now in the stage of life. Right? After the 30 2 years at Saddleback, other years, like, with you’re saying is 45 years of vocational ministry and, quote, retired, but I know you’re very busy still.
Chaundel Holladay [00:05:46]:
It’s really funny. People a lot of people ask us, well, so what are you doing with all your extra time now? And I I told you that sometimes I want to tangle like this and slap their face. I was like, I don’t have a lot of extra time. We’re and I’ve heard Tom graciously say to people, We’re doing a lot of what we the same things we did before, but we’re we get more choice in it. And I would add that we have a lot more margin. And I just I just feel like it’s a new freedom for me. I think it’s a freedom that God wanted for me all of my whole life and I struggled to try and find it. And there were some different extenuating circumstances and so forth, but I think that he wants us to live with margin. And I believe he wants us to live with margin in both our time and our treasure. And I think it is a principle that I personally believed in, but fought against and struggled all my life to implement it. But particularly in the time area, you know, we got some really good advice and examples early in our marriage about finances, and I’ll talk about that in a second. Mhmm. But my parents were both depression era children. They grew up in the depression, and they were Baptists, and they were workaholics for the lord with a smile on their face. But they taught me some pretty bad patterns in that area. And so this new season of really figuring out that I it’s okay to say no to some things. Mhmm. One of the things I’ve learned is finally accepted is that the routine of life takes a lot of time. Mhmm. It is you You know? Some of some of you guys some of you guys listening might be young moms, and you just think, my goodness, what did I get done today? All I did was wipe noses and little bottoms, and, you know, it doesn’t feel very like, I’ve accomplished much. And I’m just learning more and more and more even with now having more time that it’s about our where we fix our eyes and and how how who we’re living for and rather than how much we get accomplished.
Kim Moeller [00:08:14]:
Mhmm. Mhmm. I I on the enneagram, I’m a 3, which is an achiever. So I can fully relate to that of what did I accomplish? What did what did I achieve kind of thing? And, like, said often, it’s nothing. I feel like I’m like a hamster in a wheel. But, Steve, I wanna go back to what you said about margin. But in my prior role, before this current role with the National Christian Foundation, I worked with a company called GLOO out of Boulder. And we helped a group in Kansas City that was doing something called Margin Casey, and it was Randy Fraser who came up with the contract. Oh. Yeah. And he wanted to have, like, a 100 churches and they want because he felt like you do need to look at margin, not just with your money, but with your time. Because if there’s no margin in either, like, if you if your calendar is just full, you don’t even have time to sleep, you know, and your margin over here and your budget is just maxed, you’re not gonna live that balanced life. So I do agree, for sure, how we spend our time when you look at your calendar, how when you look at Quicken and where a money has gone to does say a lot, you know, about the person. And on this podcast about generosity, today, I want to us to talk about with your role and your life, you know, the faith and finances side, which is what I think the listeners will really love from your side because when we think about generosity, like, as an umbrella, we do think of those 3 components. the time, the treasure, and the talents. And a lot of times generosity, people think of the money and, you know, how how much are we giving? And there’s just so much more to it when we think of it as god just gives us our little life and our little thing to steward and maybe you know, maybe we’re out there living on Fifty acres and maybe we’re living in a tiny little apartment in Manhattan. But our everything he’s given us in that life and and those resources and the people and everything around us — Mhmm. — is what he’s entrusted to us to Stewart. Yeah. And — They are the stewards. Yes. And I think, like, when the margin KC example, you know, just saying we’ve just got the calendar all figured out, and the money over here is out of toll is just not that balanced life. So I would love for you to talk a little bit more about that because one of the things I like to do on this podcast is talk about how can somebody listen to this podcast and then just wanna take that simple next step in their life.
And, you know, maybe women listening are in their twenties, maybe they’re in their seventies. But I feel like anytime we’re listening to something like this, it’s like, okay, god. What do you want me to hear? And what do you want how can I take that tiny next step in my life? And one of the ways you and I have known each other is when we were at Saddleback all those years ago and and then that bible study I’ve referenced before called The Journey. We had that hiking boot, and it was just take that very next step. So Let’s let’s talk a little bit little bit more about that in terms of how would you encourage that woman to take that next step when we’re talking about, like, the margin of time? Well,
Chaundel Holladay [00:11:29]:
it’s funny. I think there’s the big picture, and then there’s also boundaries. And I think that, of course, it’s realizing that god owns it all and that he is our owner, and we are his stewards just like you said. And I think that when it comes to your time and your money, investment in people is always a really good thing. You know? It’s just really important. But, you know, what I’m really finally getting a hold of, Kim, is that there’s a limit. We all have limits, and we have to accept our limits. And I think that out of gratitude for god a lot of times, I wanted to push the limits. You know? And it well, how could I not help this one more hurting person. Mhmm. You know, if we look at the example of Jesus, Jesus didn’t heal everyone. Jesus didn’t stop and talk to every person that needed him. And we have to accept that just like there are limits on our money, there are limits on our time. There are limits on our talents too. And just because I’m really, really good at something, doesn’t mean I’m good at everything, and we need to be accepting. And to me, Kim, I’ll probably say this ten times because it just all goes back to am I looking at him and letting God direct me in in my time, in my talents, in my treasure. because he knows it all, and he knows what’s gonna make the biggest impact in how I spend those three things and he’s going to do his work. Oh, that’s a really important part for me that I’m I’m still growing in.
Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God starts with, God is at work in this world and invites you to join him. Mhmm. And I think that it is absolutely key for me to come back to that every single day. God is not what am I gonna do today and how can you help me? It’s God, you were at work in this world. Right. And you invite me to join you. How can I do? What can I do to join you in your work today? Right. And that that work might be cleaning my garage. I really mean that. You know, he his work might be for our family. He wants me to clean up some stuff in my garage, and that happens to be a favorite activity of mine. So — No. You’re retired. Oh, oh, well, all those ears, it was like, I don’t wanna throw this baby shower. I’d rather just clean my garage. But God says, no. Throw the baby shower. You know? And so am I surrendered to him? You know? And the thing was it was a really fun thing, and it was a really great thing and had a great impact that baby shower. But it’s okay to clean my garage sometimes and to have that, again, back to that margin that god it’s all god’s work.
Kim Moeller [00:14:43]:
And he’s got an order. You know? So I remember reading a book a long time ago, Ordering your Private world? Price world. Or Ordering Your Private World. Like, Gordon MacDonald. Gordon MacDonald. Exactly. And he talked about, like, you know, if your car is a mess and your garage is a mess. Your your house is a mess. Like, you just can’t it’s hard to function when — Exactly. — everything is kind of not in its place, but, you know, you might be having little ones at home and you you feel like you’re just spending your life in a 90 ninety degree angle, like picking up everything. Right. Right. So the fine line balance of seasonality and And, yeah, they do think too. And there is that side of me that’s knowing I should really do this, and it keeps coming to mind that like, okay, that probably would be, you know, a very good thing — Yeah. — to do.
Chaundel Holladay [00:15:36]:
And just are we checking in with him constantly? I mean, like, throughout the day, And maybe this is just me because I have an issue in this area, but I think that all of us we need to have our our eyes literally sometimes and our hearts directed toward am I living in submission to him because he always has better plans. Yes. And you wouldn’t believe you know, I’ve been a Christian. I celebrated my sixtieth birthday as a Christian. this last week. Interesting. It’s just a little girl. And it’s just been a sweet time of remembering God’s salvation and remembering that This is not my life is not a work of my own. Because I’ve known Him all my life literally I mean, not you know, I believe in a moment in salvation, so I want to be real clear about that. But because I’ve known him from such a young age, I’ve been familiar with the security of his love and the security of his plan for me. And somewhere along the line with all that affirmation from my parents, I got a little you know, thinking, I I I’ve got this. You know? And, yeah, God can help me. And no. No. No. No. No. That’s not the plan. The plan is I look at Him constantly, and he knows so much better than I do, even in little things. And he the other thing I’m learning is that he really is talking to me a lot more than I realize. Those are not good ideas I had. They they are the Holy Spirit directing me. And, you know, and giving into that is hard for me. You know? You we talk a lot about our issues and what sticks us. I mean, gets us stuck and what trips us up and and that kind of thing. And I don’t know.
About 6 years ago now, I figured out that Celebrate recovery is a really big deal in our church. It started to — Explain what that is for the listener who might not know it’s CRs. is the quick version way to say it, and I think they wouldn’t like this, is it’s a Christian AA. But it is the idea of working principles and steps to recover, to identify issues in your life. It’s it’s like kind of like group counseling — Mhmm. — with nonprofessionals. You know, they usually advised that you have both, you know, that you have — Right. — therapy is so good for anybody always. I’ve been it is great. Yeah. We have dear friends. Yeah. We have dear friends that are counselors, and I respect them so much. But, anyway, I I I realized that CR is a very important program in our church, and I had never been through it. And I kind of thought, well, what why is that? And I thought, well, I don’t really know what my issue is. I thought, well, maybe I’m a codependent like some people talk about. And, you know, I I don’t have a drinking or a drug or gambling problem. but I know I’ve got issues because I get stuck all the time. And I went to we’ve done several CR groups for pastor’s lives. And one one of the gal’s leading was leading a workshop on how to do CR groups for pastor’s wives. And so I thought, well, I should go to this because I want to support her and encourage her and everything. You know? And the gal who got up to introducers said, hi. I’m so and so. I’m a grateful believer who struggles with pride and blah blah blah. And I go, oh, No. Oh, lord. Not me. I’m the one with low self-esteem. I don’t have the issue of pride. and through a very long process and being involved in a step study with 4 and then 3, other wonderful women, dear friends already in my life. I began to realize, yes. I do. And it’s not the it’s not the kind of pride, like, oh, I’m just something else. Everybody look at me. I’m wonderful. aren’t you blessed to know me? It’s more like, I think I know what to do here. I and I think I know it. — my time or with my treasure. Mhmm. Right. And I think I know what you’re thinking and what your motivation is, and I am so dead wrong all the time. And God keeps lovingly and patiently showing me. You you did it again. You acted like you know better than I do.
Kim Moeller [00:20:07]:
And — Well, thank you for sharing that. I mean, because there’s it reminds me of that verse about, you know, the heart is deceitful and all things. That’s cool. And we do we listen to ourselves thinking, well, I know best. And then it takes us down the road, and God’s sitting there going, really, you had to go down that road again. If you would’ve started with me, we would’ve ended up over here, and it would’ve saved you a lot of time, a lot of stress. So I you know what? I just have to say with you being Rick’s sister, thank you for your transparency. Thank you for your vulnerability. And Rick and Kay, when, you know, Pastor Rick shared at the beginning of their marriage. I remember he said to the the congregation. MasterCard saved our marriage. Why? Because we were married all of 3 days, and we realized that we needed counseling, and we couldn’t afford it. And we put it on MasterCard, and it literally changed everything where they realized, no. We need this counseling, which then took down the stigma with the church of oh, I shouldn’t get counseling. I I’m perfect. I don’t need it. No. It was like, wow. If Rick needs counseling, and Kay needed counseling, then me, the average little Saddleback of tender needs to unpack, you know, counseling as well. And There’s a group. I’ll just do a little shout out to a group in Orange County called Relationship 180. And both of you and I know a number of the people who are therapists there, and they have been so generous to provide services to people at Saddleback, the staff at Saddleback. So it really makes it very healthy way just like you would, you know, go to the gym and go, wow. I think I should pay someone to be a personal trainer or a nutritionist or your financial planner. Like, all the other areas, and I don’t know why the mental health side is the side that for many years, it it was like, no. No. You should be able to handle that on your own. No. I think we’re we’re coming a long way. And another shout out to Saddleback with with your sister-in-law, Kay. And what a beautiful job she’s done in the entire, you know, area of mental health. Oh, yes. Oh, so important. So important.
Chaundel Holladay [00:22:17]:
So just one of the things that I have, you know, tried to kind of boil down some of the things about time. Just a couple more things I want to say on that before going to treasure is Sabbath is really God’s idea. Mhmm. And this is, like, margin. You know? It’s saying I’ve got 7 days, and I’m not going to pack them all full. I’m going to take one day. To do a reset. Mhmm. To do a reset and to really to rest and You know, there’s lots of really good resources out there on Sabbath. John Mark Comer has a a a series of podcasts on Sabbath that are really, really good. And there’s all kinds of ways to do Sabbath, but the bottom line is, guys, just do it. Do it. don’t Mickey Mouse around. I as a workaholic, I have argued with God about why I could not take a Sabbath for many, many, many years. But what happened, it for me, personally, it happened even before my kids left home. is that we have a Saturday night service, and I finally got to the point, and my husband was highly in favor of this even when he was preaching. is that I would go to church on Saturday night and usually 2 services, and then I would stay home on Sundays, and you have a 7th. And I still do that, and it really is it just I mean, someday, I hadn’t I had 3 or 4 weeks in a row where there was good west of things, but, like, we were on a trip for 2 but not the same. It’s just absolutely sitting with God alone for hours — Mhmm. — and reading and resting and you know, not just puttering, you know, or or going to lake or whatever, but just being along with God in an unhurried time.
Kim Moeller [00:24:11]:
So — Yeah. I love that. And for the listener who is not in the, you know, retired season of life to have the unlimited hour, I remember someone gave me the advice of, you know, try to do this Sabbath, this 24 hour period, like, from the 5 o’clock on Saturday to the 5 o’clock Sunday. So we also brought our kids to the Saturday night service, and that was great. And Unfortunately, sometimes Sunday mornings, we had soccer games and sporting events that we needed to do. But I really did try on that day to make it a day where I wasn’t doing major house cleaning. I was not going out shopping if I didn’t have to. And, again, all of it, I don’t, you know, I don’t wanna be legalistic about it. or do I have to sometimes? Absolutely. Or did we have some event that day? Yes. But I did notice when I could take that day and just not be driving kids everywhere and tell the kids like, hey. We’re gonna kinda be here in the neighborhood today rather than driving, you know — Absolutely. wherever else. It was one day where I also could do a reset. Just give me time to think and plan for the week ahead. And I totally agree with you whenever I’m traveling and then I come back late on a Sunday night, and I’m starting early Monday morning, it’s a way different feeling going into the week. So god, you know, he definitely knows what he’s talking about years ago I worked with Josh McDowell, and he talked about why does he tell this? these types of things to protect you and provide for you. And we have the choice of listening or not. Yeah. Protect us and provide for us is so true. Well, let me ask you. I know we talked about the the overcoming adversity in the sense, but prior to the podcast when you and I were talking a little bit, did you wanna say anything more about that? because I know you had a flood that you lived through. Anything else that you wanna add to that section? Yes.
Chaundel Holladay [00:26:04]:
Man, God is so good, but god is good in spite of what we go through. And our circumstances are not good. I mean, literally 2 days ago in my quiet time, God just reminded me through a devotional that I still think about this earth way too much, and I don’t have my eyes on heaven. And you know, it’s kind of funny to me that I that I still struggle with that. And yet, it’s not because that we all do. Right. But that — Totally. — because of some of the things we’ve been through. And, yeah, there are probably some more as we talk together about this, there are probably some more current Sure. — things about adversity in my life, but, you know, they’re not it’s not clear yet. Uh-huh. And there are two major things that we went through that were really, really hard that are clear. And I go back to those just like I’ll go back to those God directing me things. I go back to these. God has been faithful through some major things. And the first one was we’ve been married about 5 years or so when we wanted to try and get pregnant. And then we figured out that we had some infertility issues and They basically told us we probably would not get pregnant, and we probably would not have children of our own. And so that was a really hard time and really sad. And then about a year into that, we got pregnant. And it was like, oh, wow. This is really a miracle guide. This is, like, our one shot. We may only have one child, but you know? And at 11 weeks, I miscarried. And it was kind of, like, Well, God, why did you
Kim Moeller [00:27:48]:
Why did you give this to take it away? You know? Yes. That’s so no. How when it’s like it seems like it’s an answer to prayer and then, oh, it’s gone. And you think did I mishear you? So hard. I’m so sorry. So 40 years later,
Chaundel Holladay [00:28:02]:
of course, this I I know, you know, 100100100 of people who have miscarriages and how common they are and all of that. But in those in that moment, it was really hard. But it wasn’t I didn’t ever feel, you know, like, I would read Hannah from the Old Testament and stuff but I never felt like I had a word from God assuring me that I would have a baby either my own or adopted. We couldn’t afford to adopt. So to us, adoption was out of the question at that time. But I had to trust him, and I had to trust him. And as you said, we have 3 gorgeous children and almost 10 grandchildren. And so but god doesn’t always work that way. Right. Right. Exactly. — lots of friends and family who it doesn’t work that way. You know? And then a few years later oh, So then Ryan, our oldest was born in. And when he was seventeen months old, a levee broke in Northern California where we were living, and the water rushed in and destroyed our home and our church in several of our member’s homes. And it was like Katrina, So when Katrina happened, we were you know, we’ve got on plane to go, encourage the people there in the churches there. And ones that were helping those churches, actually. And yeah. So of course, didn’t have flood insurance, and Tom was making a very, very small salary. Yeah. So it was really, really hard. And — So hard. but it was just mostly a lot of work. I mean, honestly honestly, I still I mean, was our 45th anniversary recently, and I grieved again all over all of the love letters and all of the journals that were lost, and they shouldn’t have been, but they floated away literally out of broken windows in our houses — Wow. — in our house. So And so you know, like, Tom and I mean, like, Tom had his high school and college year books at the church, and I had mine at home, but both were flooded and destroyed.
Kim Moeller [00:30:09]:
Oh my goodness. And the endpoint — — later, it’s still painful. I’m so sorry.
Chaundel Holladay [00:30:14]:
Sometimes. It it is. It is. it’s not eternal. Those things are not eternal. I keep a gratitude list every day and just recently, like, a couple weeks ago, God prompted me to I kind of go all over the page. I’m sure I was particularly inspired by the end boss camp course. Uh-huh. Sure. And — 1000 gifts. Yeah. But I write down from the ridiculous to the really important stuff. You know? I I’ll put, you know, a new baby was born, but then I’ll also put I got a really good deal at Ralph today. You know? But god really convincing I mean, spoke to my heart and said, I want you to write down at least one thing every day that could not be taken away. You know? And to to pull my focus to the eternal and to begin to look at what Yeah. Circumstances. We all go through adversity. We all go through really hard times. And some of my friends, you know, you’ve had De Eastman on your podcast, and the adversity she has faced is just mind boggling to me. Mind boggling. Yeah. Yeah. And yet, God is the same. And God is the same to me as He is to Dee as He is to you, as he is to anybody who looks toward him. And he is eternal, and he never changes. And so remembering to focus on
Kim Moeller [00:31:42]:
the things that cannot be taken away, so much in our world, in our lives can be taken away. But there are so many things, and those are the things that really matter. That really matter. Well, I’m glad you brought up d because that also makes me think of one of the tenants at Saddleback is the importance of being in the small group. And I know that you and d as couples have been in the small group for a long time. So why don’t you say something about doing life together, doing life in community, and how in your role with such high visibility, How that has helped you and shaped you?
Chaundel Holladay [00:32:20]:
Oh, it totally has. And we have been in this small group for it’ll be 22 years in the fall and the same small group, and we have been through some adversity I know it works. — visually — Mhmm. — but even relationally in a small group. And some really tough stuff, and God has worked in amazing ways. in using us in each other’s lives. And I believe in this so much in our group of ministers’ lives that I led for so many years, we had connect groups. We still have connect where they’re not their weekly small group doing bible study together, but they’re checking in on each other, and they’re doing life together. And they’re praying for each other. And I actually am in a connect group with our 4 international campus pastors wives. And I love connecting with them, you know, once or twice a week just saying, how are you doing? What’s new at your church? And do in your lives, and, you know, it just is those friendships that God uses in incredible ways. And, like, in minister’s wives, it was really easy for me to realize I couldn’t care for 115 women. Right. And so we needed to break them down. And, you know, I wouldn’t knew know when everybody’s, you know, mother was in the hospital or or they had a miscarriage or something like that, but their group leader would. and we care for that.
Kim Moeller [00:33:54]:
No. That’s so beautiful because we’re not meant to go it alone. And sometimes in those struggles, like you were sharing of going through in those, you know, early years and then all the struggles over all the years. Like, if it was just you handling it or you just you and Tom and trying to just whether it through and make it look like, oh, you got it all figured out. We can do this. Right. It’s just s and Jesus. No. Like, that’s why he gives us one another. We’re all imperfect. But he brings those people around us who are just so gifted and have what we don’t have to compliment us and to you know, carry us through and get us to that next top of the mountain where he wants us to be when we’re down in in that valley. Absolutely. Absolutely. Oh, well, thank you for sharing that. So anything else you want to share in terms of I know you mentioned one of the things before we got together about can feel overwhelmed and how you you’ve learned over these years to
Chaundel Holladay [00:34:54]:
Give it back to God. Anything else you want to say in that, or do you feel like we touched on that enough when we took looked at our schedule at our time? It’s just you know, I think we I think I want to say well, I want to say a couple of things about treasure. Right. But I think that we just need to accept that we all have different stuck points. It helps if you can identify them and talk to god about them. I am a big fan of journaling and writing out, you know god, I feel really overwhelmed this morning. And then it’s like, oh, right. but you’re God of everything, and you own the cattle on a 1000 hills. And you have all the time, and you’re going to give me all of the time and resources. find energy, creativity, resources, financial resources that I need to join you in your work. like we talked about. So I think — Not like naming the feeling,
Kim Moeller [00:35:47]:
call him out. Yeah. Absolutely. Okay. Yeah. Speak talk about treasure because I know we’re almost done trying. I know. I just have to say quickly, I’m just one more testimony.
Chaundel Holladay [00:35:58]:
God’s principles. work in this area. 45 years of marriage, and we lost everything in a flood And my parents had nothing, basically, their whole lives, but they taught me over and over and over. You cannot outgive God. Yeah. And some people think that’s really a cliche phrase. But I anybody who’s listening, I have proved it. I want more of those testimonies. I have proved it over and over and over, and it just it brings tears to my eyes because it is so true. He is a giving god. He loves so much, and he gave his most precious possession, his only son. And he came in flesh to tell us how much he loved us. And he is a giving god, and when we are Rick always as when we are generous, we’re most like God. You know? And I just agree. And I think I think both in our time and our treasure, it’s perspective and practice. And you’ve got to set your perspective. You’ve got to settle how you look at things. And that’s what I have to do. I have to do it all the time. I don’t have to do it as often with money as I do with time. But you have to settle your perspective again, but you settle it ahead of time. It’s not when you’re standing in Costco and should I spend this $200 in stores or not. you know, I mean, adult toy. Like, you know, that’s something to go to the lake with or whatever. But and then it’s practice. And so you set the perspective ahead of time, but then you have to work out the practices. You know, it I think, but both time and treasure it it’s it doesn’t just happen because they say, oh god. I want you to own it all, and I want to be a good steward. You have to go, well, how am I going to be a good stored. What are the baby steps to make that What am I going to be? How am I going to be a good steward of my time? Well, obviously, the very most important thing you can do with your time is spend daily time with him. And then the most important thing you can do with your treasure is to give your tithes immediately. No questions asked and then begin to look at how what are the other ways I can be generous. The other practice is you and I have talked about a lot is this it for me, that’s just downright fun to figure out ways to save money. and to — I know. We didn’t even we could do a whole podcast on that, Shonda, with our connecting on garage sales in parking. Yes.
So because you know, for those who are listening, because I lost everything in a flood and didn’t have any money, I I became an avid garage sailor And that’s my that’s my excuse for why I try to go to garage sales at least a couple times a month. And — you then need to clean your garage. And all those — Yes. Yes. And that’s also why I came to my garage. Exactly. But you asked what’s the favorite bargain you got recently. I do a lot of teas for people and, you know, baby showers or just ladies, liter teas, and all that kind of stuff. My I do a tea for my whole neighborhood every year to outreach, And so this last week, I got some little they were supposed to be nameplate. things, but they’re but I can write the food labels on them, and they’re just something — Those are cute. And I could have spent a long time looking for them on Amazon and paid, but I got them for, like, a dollar. Right. You know? And — I remember you told me when time you found the Tuxedo at a garage sale. Oh, yeah. I oh, I found I thumb, everything. The thing that drives sales is I find things I didn’t know I needed. And, I mean, I literally do need them, but I didn’t know they existed. But okay. I also think it’s very fun to get a stuff on at the grocery store on clearance, and you there’s a whole tip on how how to circle the outside of the grocery store. But one of the things that I realized is I was thinking about this that has really helped me is follow blogs or Instagram now that really resonate with you, that work for you, you know, as far as saving money. Just, you know, don’t follow people that you go, oh, that’s stupider. I would never do that, or that’s too important to me to try and cut corners there. Or at the end of the pile, I feel totally overwhelmed. And so just pick 1 or 2. I love Mary Hunt, debt proof living, everyday cheat escape. You know? That’s that’s really, really fun.
Kim Moeller [00:40:28]:
Okay. So we will have all of these tips of yours in the show notes. And I usually like to end with bible book and the bargain. So you mentioned already the book by or, you know, you mentioned the podcaster. He’s John Jean Marc Homer. Yeah. Michael. He’s — So let’s do what’s the first, what’s your verse? What’s your bible verse? Well, I want to end with that. Oh, okay. Okay. Alright. So what’s
Chaundel Holladay [00:40:55]:
Okay. Wait. Absolutely. Yeah. I I shared the bargain. I’m doing them backwards. I did appreciate the bargain. So the book is ruthless Elimination of Hurry. Of Hurry. My Joan Mark — Culmer.
Kim Moeller [00:41:08]:
I’ve heard that the other people recommended it. I need to add it to my list. Oh, it’s incredible.
Chaundel Holladay [00:41:15]:
But for me, it was particularly incredible for me because I have hurried my entire life. And I remember when my daughter was a newborn, and I was doing she was, like, three months old. And I was doing a baby shower, and I was killing my and she’s she’s going to be thirty this year. And she I was killing myself running around like a chicken with my head cut off, and I said, I am not going to live the rest of my life this way. and I I’m just now kind of kidding me. Well, that’s the thing about
Kim Moeller [00:41:44]:
Christianity. It’s very daily, and God gives a lot of grace. It is. And he keeps us here on the search to keep learning it. I mean, as we
Chaundel Holladay [00:41:52]:
go ahead. Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. took me about 2 years to read because I read, like, one chapter every 5th Sabbath. That’s right. That’s really good. Another really quick book that I’ve just recently been introduced to that I love is breath as prayer. Have you heard of that? No. Who wrote that? Oh, goodness. Optical.
Kim Moeller [00:42:16]:
I have to look out. We’re gonna show notes. That’s okay.
Chaundel Holladay [00:42:20]:
Brett is clear. Just breath as prayer. And it’s about deep breathing exercises, but then you inhale part of a verse and you exhale the rest of it. And let me get it I wanna get it right. This isn’t my verse, but I’ll I’m going to go quickly. My help comes from you maker of heaven and earth.
Kim Moeller [00:42:42]:
So my help comes from you — In hell first and say that.
Chaundel Holladay [00:42:47]:
You know, my help is coming from you. I’m going to get filled up — Mhmm. — because you are the maker of heaven and earth so I can relax. I like that. I like that. Oh, it’s really the deep breathing is so healing too. Mhmm. It’s really true. It’s really good.
Kim Moeller [00:43:02]:
Okay. And then your last your battle verse. And I’m sad we’re already at time.
Chaundel Holladay [00:43:09]:
Nothing. Nothing is as important as our personal relationship with God. It’s just all about the time we spend with him, would I have to stop every morning and just lay it all down And like I said, for me, I write it out a lot of times what I’m what I’m hanging on to and I need to let go of. And I just came upon a verse that I’ve seen before, but, like, 2 days ago, maybe it was yesterday, and said, look to the lord in his strength. seek his face always. That’s Psalm 105 verse 4. And I thought, okay, god. That’s really short. I can do that, like, fifty times a day, you know, and just stop. And it it worked yesterday when after I said that verse and seen that verse and been reminded of it. And I I have figured out that I need to stop that a a major part of my quiet time I was missing was worship. And I don’t mean listening to songs. I mean worshiping. And I just gone 145 and just say it back to God and and worship him and remember that it’s all about him.
Kim Moeller [00:44:26]:
That’s beautiful. I know some people, like, will use their Apple Watch and set an alarm, you know, every 15 minutes or every hour to
Chaundel Holladay [00:44:35]:
recall and do what they’re trying to do throughout the day. It’s just what it’s all about. It’s gonna affect everything. We can do all kinds of of good principles and good practices. if we’re not connecting constantly –. — with our maker, our creator who loves us unconditionally,
Kim Moeller [00:44:52]:
then it just doesn’t work. Yeah. It you know, we all know the verses in John about being connected to the vine, and it’s it’s a very simple analogy with the little iPhone here, but You know, if I don’t plug this thing in, it’s just completely going to die, and it needs to be recharged every day, every evening, and as, you know, we need that throughout the day being recharged, renewed by God’s spirit, connected to him. Because on our own, it we’re just quickly going to burn out. We’re going to lose all of that battery and lose all of that power. And, obviously, we don’t want it to be Kim’s power, Chaundel’s power because that’s very ineffective, and we want we want that out of the way so that god’s power can make our lives, you know, a 1,000,000,000 percent more effective than just our strength of our ourselves is so we all have the knowledge, and yet it’s always a process for each of us as we — — constant practice. — constant practice. But the thing is when I come back to him every morning and say, oh my goodness. I can’t believe I’m doing this again.
Chaundel Holladay [00:45:55]:
that I failed again yesterday, and he goes, it’s okay.
Kim Moeller [00:45:58]:
I love you. I love you. I love you. It’s okay. And if you hear anything different, that’s not the Lord. That’s right. That’s right. Well, you are beautiful Chaundel and this has been such a treat. And I know the listeners are going to be very inspired by so many nuggets of truth that you shared. So thank you for your time, your wisdom, and all of your faithful service serving the Lord and, you know, in that role at saddleback, all that you gave to everyone. The not just the pastor’s wives, obviously, but all the women, the lives, the families, that that were touched by you. You’re I don’t think you have a clue until you get to heaven to see how God used you in many, many ways. So god bless and thank you again. Bye. Thanks so 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.
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