Dr. Sandie Morgan & Tivoli Jensen
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:00:02]:
Our goal is to create a space where we can find justice. And justice isn’t just sending people to prison. It’s making it fair. Getting an education when you’re the first one ever, ever in your family to go to college.
Kim Moeller [00:00:24]:
Today’s message is specifically made for the woman who wants to step into her calling, wants to redeem every minute of every day for her purpose because you’re gonna hear a story from 2 women today. I have 2 guests on the podcast, and you’re going to hear how they stepped into their calling. Sometimes it was through a hard circumstance. Other times it was based on the conversation they had and someone encouraged them to get their next degree. But we’re also going to address the topic of trafficking. And we’re going to address how one woman is literally making the difference for millions and millions of lives. And we get to hear her story. We get to hear the gal who comes alongside her to make it possible by doing advancement fundraising at Vanguard University where her Global Center For Women and Justice is.
Kim Moeller [00:01:24]:
And I think you’re going to be inspired. And I think you’re going to want to see what God wants you to do to be a part of His story in fighting this area of trafficking in whatever city you live in as you listen to the generous girl podcast. So thanks for being here. You’re in for a treat.
Introduction
Welcome today to the Generous Girl podcast. I am so happy to have two guests with me today. I have Tivoli Jensen and Sandy Morgan, and they are both from Vanguard University. And Tivoli works in their Development Department or if you want to call it advancement or fundraising as the Associate Director of Development.
Kim Moeller [00:02:06]:
So she helps to bring in the funds for the university to further their vision and is doing an incredible job. And then we have Doctor Sandie Morgan with us, and Sandie is passionate about women, anti trafficking, justice, and has just really created a unique niche at Vanguard, which is world renown, and she’s also on a podcast. She has way more episodes than the Generous Girl, so I’m very humbled to have both Sandie and Tivoli on the podcast. So welcome to both of you.
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:02:41]:
Thank you for having us. It’s great to be here.
Kim Moeller [00:02:44]:
Well, it’s great to have you. And as we were talking prior to this podcast, why do we wanna have 2 guests instead of, you know, my normal is usually having one guest? But I feel like you both really complement each other and all under the umbrella of generosity. So when we think of our 5 pillars, today we’re gonna focus on faith and we’re gonna focus on finances. But the generosity side comes in different forms. We’ve got from Tivoli’s side, she works with the people who give the resources to Vanguard to build the new buildings, to scholarship new students. And those relationships of the alums and the grandchildren, the children who went to Vanguard and how their lives were just forever impacted. She typically works on that side of things. And then Sandy, you work on the side of training up these incredible students, getting the word out, helping people to understand how they can research issues and actually make a difference.
Kim Moeller [00:03:42]:
And so for the listener of the generous girl podcast, truly, I always love the woman to finish this podcast with let’s I wanna take the next step. Whatever that is, if the person’s listening in Kansas or they’re listening in New York City, by listening to this conversation with both of you from Vanguard at a university here in Southern California, I’m just encouraged with we hear so much right now about trafficking. We have the Sound of Freedom movie that many of us have seen. And we’re wondering, how do we make a difference? My one life, what can I do on about 6 episodes prior to this one right now? We had Tracy Daugherty with us from Freedom Challenge, which if you missed the episode, that allows you as a woman to raise money and do something physical with your body to hike the Camino, hike Catalina Island, and put your more than a check, you know, toward this cause. And today, we’re going to address trafficking. And, Sandie, I think it’d be good to start by asking you because, usually, I’ll ask about a story about overcoming adversity later on in the podcast, but I know your story is so pivotal as to why you got involved in this topic in the first place. So can you share with us why you’re doing what you’re doing and how you overcame adversity to be where you are?
Sandie’s Story
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:05:07]:
Thank you, Kim. My husband and I were serving in Europe. We’ve lived in Spain, in Germany, in Greece. And in Greece, we started a foundation addressing violence against women. We worked on domestic violence. We worked on child abuse. And my background’s pediatric nursing. So this was a wonderful fit for me.
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:05:32]:
Our kids went off to college. Our daughter got married, and then we discovered a few years later that our daughter was living in a very violent marriage. And here I am working with doctors of the world at anti human trafficking shelter, working with our US embassy to build, strategies to combat the violence against women being trafficked. And my own daughter was suffering, and we realized we had to leave and come home. My husband’s boss said to me, you know, I know you’re really disappointed, and I was sobbing the day before we left. I get emotional. I had gotten attached to a lot of the girls that had been recovered. And he said, you know, if you stayed here, you could help eight girls.
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:06:31]:
If you leave, God is going to let you help a 1000000 girls. And, Kim, that is, I passed that a long time ago. As we came here, I channeled my daughter, the angst, the what am I doing for my daughter into this. My boss here at Vanguard said, go get your PhD so you can become the director someday. And I became the director and now the Global Center For Women and Justice addresses violence against women and children. We host an annual Insured Justice Conference and we equip parents and professionals. But, honestly, my greatest joy is equipping the next generation. I have students in my classes that are going to go out and be little mes.
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:07:32]:
And when I first started having that vision, I thought, oh, Sandy Morgan, that is so arrogant. And then I read where Paul said, go and be like me. And I wanna equip the next generation to be smart, study our mantra on the Ending Human Trafficking podcast is study the issues, be a voice, make a difference. Because if you don’t study first, you might say the wrong thing, you might do the wrong thing.
Kim Moeller [00:08:04]:
That just really gives me the chills. And thank you for listening and being obedient to take that next step, which I’m sure was very, very hard to leave the home you loved overseas and to come back. And you were a pediatric nurse. You go back at midlife to get your PhD. I think you have a lot of chutzpah. And you’ve also written a cookbook that I bought, which is all about great cooking. I mean, you’re you’re so multitalented and just so proud of you for using the things that were really challenging. And like you said, could have reached 8 and, you know, now reaching more than 1000000.
Kim Moeller [00:08:44]:
And that is the beauty of God’s economy.
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:08:48]:
I have to tell you that adversity is always an opportunity to pivot, But COVID hit and my friends said, wow, we can’t do this, we can’t do that. And then one of my friends said, let’s take the ending human trafficking podcast and make a book. And so we coauthored the Ending Human Trafficking book, InterVarsity Press, to equip the church with strategies to end human trafficking. So we keep using different avenues that God puts in our hand to affect change on behalf of those who are vulnerable.
Kim Moeller [00:09:34]:
And somebody can get that on Amazon?
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:09:37]:
Yes.
Kim Moeller [00:09:38]:
Tivoli’s Story
Wonderful. Wonderful. Well, thank you for sharing. And, Tivoli, how about your story about how did you end up in fundraising and development? I know you are a little bit of the different life stage than Sandy is and then I am. You have kids that are in their teens, twins. Mhmm. And we’d love to hear how you chose to go into fundraising and development for Vanguard.
Tivoli Jensen [00:10:01]:
Absolutely. Well, first and foremost, I’m so humbled to be here. Doctor Morgan is one of my heroes. My dad and I might be presidents of her fan club and everything that she does, so I’m so thrilled to be here. I’ve been in fundraising for over 10 years now. I actually started in a funny way of I was in church ministry struggling, and struggling, and they just really needed the Lord. And for the church, we were going to try and put on this huge event because we realized that when the kids were with us, they were staying in really positive relationships and having positive experiences. And the church said, well, you can do it, but we don’t have any money.
Tivoli Jensen [00:10:45]:
And I said, well, that’s not a problem. And so at 16/17, I was calling all these businesses around town saying, would you please donate pizza? Would you please donate snowboards? We really need to have this lock in because the kiddos need us. And it was such a a thrill and so fun when everyone said yes to donating. So that kind of was my first foray into philanthropic spaces. After that, I actually went to Vanguard. I was a a theater major there, and it was a really wonderful time in my life. I met my husband at Vanguard. And then after leaving Steady, I was kind of looking at our life.
We had young kids. And what am I still good at? What do I love to do? And fundraising was it, and so I haven’t looked back. I worked with different organizations, a few in the humanity space and then got back to Vanguard through a wonderful opportunity. So I’ve been here for almost 5 years, and I’ve loved it. It’s such a privilege to be able to serve these students who are also kind of those junior hires that I used to have. A lot of our students are low income. A lot of them without scholarships wouldn’t have the opportunity to be here. And as Doctor Morgan said, when they get here, they then are equipped to go out and change the world.
And their students for just this amount of time and the impact and investment makes all the difference. I mean, we’ve got some of Doctor Morgan’s alums are in such incredible spaces that are really creating life change for so many more people than we could have imagined just when they’re students. So it’s been a real pleasure. It’s fun. You’re gonna get to make lots of friends and get to see where people’s passions are across campus. But it’s been wonderful to get to partner with people in philanthropy.
Kim Moeller [00:12:35]:
And it is all about generosity. Philanthropy is. And we think about generosity fueling God’s economy. Amen. And I know I was really blessed to meet with both of you on the Vanguard campus a little a couple weeks ago. And, you know, growing up in Orange County myself, I feel like you almost have, like, portables initially. You’re there by the the Orange County Fairgrounds. And then to walk on your campus today and to see what it looked like and the beautiful buildings and the beautiful area, you know, the the whole center where we had lunch and speak to the generosity side of things and how some people have made that possible.
Kim Moeller [00:13:15]:
Possible. Because, again, the National Christian Foundation, we exist to be that conduit to help people give their cash and their noncash assets to make places like Vanguard University, a very kingdom minded university, possible. And it would never happen without those individuals that got it blessed with those resources who then chose to give to Vanguard. Do you have any neat stories about generosity that way that you wanna share?
Tivoli
Oh, goodness. So many to count. The Lord is continually surprising us. So Vanguard has been around for a 100 and 4 years now. We were founded to be a theological school to train up missionaries to go out and change the world. And in that, we haven’t changed, and we’re still a sending institution where we send our students is a little different. But our mission hasn’t changed, and that really speaks volumes to our community that people wanna invest in that. We are constantly talking now of having a Christian university in Orange County in Costa Mesa is vital to what we do, but our generous partners have transformed campus.
Vanguard University
In the past 10 years, we’ve had this windfall of generosity where the university had a little bit of adversity. There are, you know, tough times for everyone across the United States. And from that, God has completely transformed our campus physically, but then also internally. We actually are about to open a new building, our Fried Center For Leadership and Service, and missus Fried found us through a a friend, if you will, a partner, a conduit, and they decided that Vanguard was something that needed to be invested in. And so she decided to bestow the school our largest gift of $10,000,000 to name this this building so that it can be made. And we know that from that, the eternal dividends, the life change that’ll happen in that building. You know, it’s never about the building. It’s never about the drywall or the steel or the beams, but it’s really about these students are gonna be in the space and have their lives changed forever.
Tivoli [00:15:21]:
They’ll meet God there. They’ll meet their spouse. That’s a story that so many of us have. We met our spouses at Vanguard, but it’s created so much opportunity. And it then also creates this posture for the rest of our community, our alumni, our friends at the university, that they can be a part of something too. And we’re very cognizant that not everyone can bestow such a a a transformational gift, but all gifts are so generous to us. You know? $20 even. We we think of the the woman with her two pieces of gold, and even that can help fuel a student forward.
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:16:00]:
Can I tag onto that?
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:16:03]:
Reaching the Middle Schoolers
I love tag teaming with you. So we hosted 500 middle schoolers the end of January here as a prevention for keeping them from being trafficked and educating them. And when they were here, they saw our campus, they began to dream because we chose kids from more vulnerable neighborhoods and schools, And we were showing them a tour a little bit, and they saw the freed center. And one of our Vanguard leaders said to their leader, this will be open next year, and we can have a 1,000 kids. So Vanguard’s generosity with what they’ve received is going right back to the community, Not 10 years from now, right now.
Kim Moeller [00:16:56]:
Now that’s great. And this is really fun doing 3 people. I I think I might want do this in the future. So, Sandie, back to you now. I want go back to a couple things. When you talked about your podcast and people studying the issues and then being that voice and making a difference, I want you to speak to the listener and give some practical ideas of how a woman could do that, if she wants to learn more about trafficking and what she can do. And then I want to go to the step tied back to what Tivoli was talking about. And if someone blessed you with just a ton of resources in your center there at Vanguard, what would you do with the resources? Like, what are your dreams?
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:17:44]:
What are Your Dreams?
Oh my goodness. Okay. So first of all, if you are watching this, listening to this, I know there is a place for you in anti human trafficking, fighting this. I lived in Greece. You heard that already. And when I first went there, I was on the island of Crete, went to the Knossos Palace, went down deep into the pantry, narrow stairs, and they had this jug that was as big as I am. And I could have stood up in it. That’s how big it was.
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:18:19]:
And these people were from 3000 years ago. There’s no there’s no elevator people. So how do they get that from the field filled with grain and olives and oil? Well, they put baked in on the outside of the jar handles all over from the bottom. Can you imagine a jar with a handle on the bottom all the way to the top? And if you wanna learn a Greek word, we call that a. Everybody say. Very good. And then, when they had to get it down those stairs, 8 or 10 people could each find a handle to get it there. So there isn’t one person carrying the whole load.
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:19:08]:
There is a place for you. Sometimes, like, our lift of routine goes out into the schools. We need local schools to have what we used to call in, when my kids were grown up, like a a room mom that would make pizza and bring cookies so they could have weekly meetings to learn this. We need women who will bring leaders from the Global Center into your community to teach and influence. I found out early on that leaders in a community can impact how schools prepare children, how law enforcement prepares their police officers, and how hospital administrators train emergency room people to identify. Women are activators in their community.
Women As Activators
Kim Moeller [00:20:00]:
Absolutely. We have
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:20:01]:
podcasts for them to listen to. We have courses for them to take. And, of course, you’re always invited to come to our annual Insure Justice Conference every 1st Friday Saturday of March. 2025.
Of what I would do Yes. With my Your dreams. If people blessed you, they, you know, felt really called to give money that God had laid on their hearts to your center, what would you do with that? It’s always fun to dream.
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:20:35]:
In the day to day, I just keep moving forward, developing the online courses, scholar shipping students to study this issue. Right now, we’re developing a project to turn all of our online anti-trafficking content into Spanish, all online.
Online Content Creation
Kim Moeller [00:20:55]:
Excellent.
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:20:56]:
It’s the 7th largest language spoken around the world. But my big dream, I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m a grandma. And at some point, I’m not going to be able to keep going to Iraq and Romania and around the world. And I want a sustainable future, And I actually talked to Tivoli’s boss. I’m dreaming big because you asked me.
Kim Moeller [00:21:24]:
Absolutely.
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:21:25]:
I have to raise $10,000,000 to endow the center so that it is still here Mhmm. When I am basking on an island in Greece.
Kim Moeller [00:21:38]:
Or you’re in heaven and it’s your legacy. Yeah.
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:21:41]:
There you go. There you go. But that’s my dream to Oh. Down the center. Well,
Kim Moeller [00:21:45]:
you never know. You know, I really believe when God places a dream on your heart, he brings the right people. He’s a god of abundance. He owns the cattle on a 1000 hills, and I believe that He’ll bring it to pass in whichever way He sees fit.
Kim Moeller [00:22:05]:
Christian Improv
Okay. So, Tivoli, back to you. We touched upon Sandy’s story of overcoming adversity, but I know in our pre conversation, you mentioned that you’re also a comedian, which that is amazing. Both of you are so multitalented. I feel like a slacker. But I would love to hear I would love to hear your story of overcoming adversity to encourage the listener who maybe even this trafficking feels just so huge and feels like it’s paralyzing. How do we even do anything to make a difference? Because I think your story that you shared is is helpful to share how you’ve worked on your own area of overcoming adversity.
Tivoli [00:22:49]:
Thank you. Well, Doctor Morgan, I mean, you just took me to church thinking of that there’s a handle for everybody. So thank you. That’s so good. So, growing up, I grew up in Orange County. I went to schools where there was a lot of affluence even though my family did not have a lot. And so I also struggled with crippling anxiety as a kid and then into my teen years and and throughout adulthood. It’s just kind of been a part of my journey, but I’ve been working to not have it be the identifier for how I interact with the world.
Tivoli [00:23:22]:
I, this year, have been focusing on the phrase, what is the best that can happen instead of always going to maybe the worst. But I started doing improv when I was in high school, and it really changed my life. It gave me a place where I could be myself, and it didn’t matter if I said something silly because that was the whole point. And so now I’ve been doing improv for over 20 years, traveled the nation. I’ve been blessed to teach people of all ages this wonderful art form that also is completely life changing. I like to say you get to improvise your life because all the tenants are this wonderful thing that goes along with Christianity that you are saying yes to God, you’re saying yes and to it, and you are making your partner look good. You’re getting to, as doctor Morgan said earlier, but, you know, there’s no such thing as an accident. It’s just an opportunity.
Tivoli [00:24:17]:
So that’s really helped me in my life overcome some anxieties and then also just really lean into faith with God. Because even though in my space, I’m in front of people, I love people. My husband always makes fun of me that people are just friends I haven’t met yet. But, you know, sometimes you get those those little intrusive thoughts that say, why are you here? What are you doing? And to doctor Morgan’s point, there’s a handle for you. And and with improv, it’s helped me name the tools and and have kind of a way to look at things and also not take life too seriously and make room for play, but it’s been a part of it. And at Vanguard as a theater major, one of the big things that we learned was that we perform for an audience of 1. So as I go through life, you know, not every time you’re treading the boards, but in everything I do, in every conversation I get to have with a a potential donor, it’s that I’m doing this for an audience of 1, and I I’m working for his kingdom. And where he leads it, it’ll go.
Tivoli [00:25:16]:
And so, really, I’m just get to be here for the ride. I don’t get to decide any destinations, and that’s kind of a part of the adventure. And getting to help other people step into the impact they can make for others is a gift all the time. So it’s a ongoing journey, an ongoing thing to overcome, but in God’s goodness and grace, there are tools all the time.
Overcoming Adversity
Kim Moeller [00:25:44]:
That is a very beautiful way of telling your story of overcoming adversity, having this piece of anxiety, using improv, teaching others, blessing others as Sandy has turned her situation around to bless others as well. So I really want the one of the takeaways for the listener to be whatever is in your life, don’t allow it to just hold you back or to paralyze you and to do nothing, but figure out that next step. Never look at yourself as you’re too old or you’re too this, you’re too that. Like, it’s just literally a lie because we each have this beautiful life and all of these unique nuances, stories, people, children, friends, neighbors that God has put in our lives are never by mistake. And wherever he’s placed us, I always think of acts 2617, like he’s placed you to dwell in this area. He’s moved and made the boundaries, and that is where you move and have your being, and it’s so not a mistake. So whether you’re listening and you’re an empty nester or you’ve got the newborn at home or you have no children or you’re single wanting to be married or you’re married and it’s a tough marriage, whatever it is, God is a God of miracles, and he wants to use you. He wants you to use you to fulfill you for your own calling, to be a generous girl, whether that is your time and it’s volunteering.
Kim Moeller [00:27:11]:
Maybe it’s your talents like improv. Maybe it’s your treasures. And maybe it’s Amen. Investing your $1, your 1,000,000, whatever God has given you to the cause that you’re passionate about. So I just feel like women are activators, as Sandy said. And we make a difference. And often, like my big fat Greek wedding, we are the neck that turns the head. And we are the nurturers, the ones who are just so empathetic in a society, in a community, at a school.
Kim Moeller [00:27:43]:
And, man, are there a lot of opportunities right now for all of us to do something that really will even change that one life. But that one life could be the president of the United States in the future. We just we never know. Amen. So before we move on to hearing, you know, your favorite books and favorite bible verse and bargain, anything else you would both like to share in this whole topic of generosity, anti trafficking, Christian University?
Tivoli Hudson [00:28:16]:
As a big fan, I just want to say that watching doctor Morgan work and how people get to invest in what she does with her team, it’s tangible things that are happening. Which you didn’t mention. And I hope it’s okay to mention that at this event with all of these wonderful young people who are getting to learn things and then that we’re learning things because I have 12 year olds, and I feel like the game is constantly changing with how to keep them safe online. Mhmm. And doctor Morgan provides these incredible resources for parents. But she is giving these resources to students. Obviously, it’s free to them. They get to get to go to a new place.
Tivoli Hudson [00:28:59]:
And at that event, 3 students raised their hands saying they needed help. So it’s real. And doctor Morgan has these tangible plans, these wonderful vision for how things could change. And if, I mean, 10,000,000 doesn’t seem that far away, does it? I just it’s so incredible. And that’s, you know, it’s one of the things where there’s there’s the dream to it, but there’s strategy and there’s innovation and there’s such necessity because so much is in our back yard that we would never even realize. And with the the different collaboration she has and the different contact she has, there’s so much equipping and that, you know, a little bit of investment, it’s just a speed bump. Because once that’s there, they’ll take off. And it’s truly remarkable, and it’s an honor to be able to even serve a little bit with her because, I mean, the the bus is moving.
Tivoli Hudson [00:29:58]:
It’s a light rail, really. You’re going so fast.
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:30:02]:
I love that, Tivoli, because that example of having those kids here is just an example of Vanguard’s generosity. When the community asked Vanguard to host this event, I went to our events people. It’s a big ask. Let me tell you. If you invite to your house. And they said yes with open hands and Vanguard hosted the 500 kids and about a 150 adults and 35 organizations. And we sometimes think that generosity is always connected to our wallets. But generosity is about welcoming people into your space, welcoming people who may be different and showing them maybe we’re not like we’re painted in the media.
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:30:59]:
Maybe we are just warm and generous people. And so kids got to experience our campus in a way that I think reflects the generosity of a campus that is a community that works together. So it was wonderful. And I keep doing this. Right now, our Insured Justice Conference is just a few days away. We’re partnering with Orange County Department of Education, 550,000 students. We’re working internationally. We’ve hosted teams from law enforcement in Iraq.
Culture of Generosity
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:31:41]:
So I think that culture of generosity is who we are. And as we fuel that because you still have to feed them when they come, made me think of the feeding of the $5,000 It was a lot easier. And we didn’t do it ourselves. Another a church came alongside and and paid for lunch. So generosity invites community. Mhmm. And as a community then, we live out our faith and we’re salt and we’re light.
Kim Moeller [00:32:19]:
So real quick because I had heard the story that Billy was alluding to when I was with you, Sandy, at Vanguard. But can you just tell a little bit more about what Tivoli meant when 3 kids raised their hand in that session? Well, so one of
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:32:35]:
the areas where middle school kids can really become vulnerable to being trafficked is through gang involvement. And a lot of different things that our peer, near peer presenters, our Live2Free and our higher ground groups from the community presented were ways to stay safer. And one, was get out of a gang. Gangs are dangerous. And afterwards, 3 of those kids reached out to counselors and said, I need help getting out of a gang. That’s like rescuing before you need to be rescued. And it’s so important that we focus on prevention. In Proverbs 31:8, it tells us, and this is a mandate.
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:33:28]:
It’s not just those of you who are called, but it is a mandate that we are to be a voice for those who have no voice and semicolon. So don’t just talk about it. Semicolon, ensure justice for those being crushed. Yeah. And space where we can find justice. And justice isn’t just sending people to prison. It’s making it fair. Getting an education when you’re the first one ever ever in your family to go to college.
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:34:06]:
That’s hard. Nobody can help you fill out the forms because nobody else ever did it. And that’s what ensuring justice for people being crushed is actually about. And Vanguard’s openness to host and create space for that to happen is phenomenal.
Kim Moeller [00:34:29]:
Well, thank you to both of you for living such generous lives in many, many aspects and for sharing that story. And it truly does feel like it’s younger and younger that children are being reached and attacked. And, you know, you think of middle school, but you also think of grade school. And it’s it’s truly a time where it’s a lot of prayer is needed for our children, our society. So thank you for both being in the battle and really making a difference for the millions as you you mentioned going from 8 to the millions with just those 3 lives that who knows? You stand in heaven and look at the trajectory of where their lives went all because of the conference that generous people provided and made possible at Vanguard. So it’s been a real pleasure just hearing your stories and your callings and your life work. And I know God still has so much that he wants to do in both of your lives to impact so many more people. But let’s go ahead and wrap up.
Favorite Book, Bible Verse, & Bargain
Kim Moeller [00:35:33]:
Tivoli, we’ll start with you and go ahead and share your favorite bible verse book that you’re currently reading in a a recent bargain.
Tivoli Hudson [00:35:42]:
Oh, I’m so excited about this. So, my favorite verse is Luke 1224 through 26. It’s the verses about, who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this little thing, why do you worry about the rest? That’s, been a constant drumbeat in my head since I learned it in 4th grade. A book I’m reading, I actually was about to look it up on Goodreads. I have been very interested in mushrooms lately because my daughter, doesn’t like to eat them, and I’ve been trying to teach her why they’re important to the world. So I’ve been reading a book that’s by this British author, and I’m listening to the audiobook, and it’s actually so wonderful, and it’s so calming. But it’s called An Entangled Life, and it’s how fungi make our world shape our minds, and, or change our minds and shape our futures by Merlin Sheldrake. And it’s just really interesting about how, you know, life is connected.
Tivoli Hudson [00:36:38]:
Wow. Bargain. So it’s a little off brand or offbeat, but my husband has really gotten into, fermenting lately. So he had a friend that had just a bunch of crops that they needed to get rid of. So he had all of this cabbage and all of this brussels sprouts, and so he was like, you know what? I’m gonna make sauerkraut. So he decided to do this, and now we have all of this sauerkraut. And now it’s gone into he’s making his own hot sauces and salsa. And Wow.
Tivoli Hudson [00:37:09]:
He is a blessing. I always say, you know, we are so lucky in our family to have him, and my son always goes, no. We’re just loved.
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:37:18]:
Oh. Okay.
Tivoli [00:37:20]:
But, so that’s kind of the bargain. I don’t know how applicable that is, but maybe just some creativity to make new things out of things you have.
Kim Moeller [00:37:28]:
That is wonderful. Well, I know I hear kombucha is so good for your Yes. Digestion and sauerkraut, dill pickles. So that now we’ll need to maybe
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:37:44]:
sauerkraut.
Tivoli [00:37:45]:
Sauerkraut. I would love to give you some,
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:37:48]:
please. Yeah. Oh my god.
Tivoli [00:37:50]:
And I say they’re, like, this big of jars, but
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:37:53]:
Oh, I love it.
Tivoli [00:37:54]:
Okay. Okay.
Kim Moeller [00:37:57]:
Well Sandie, how about you?
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:37:59]:
My verse is on the back of the charm that I wear all the time, and I don’t know if you guys can see it. But this is a little charm that’s a replica of the back porch of the palace on the Acropolis in Athens. And when I saw it, it took me back to Psalm 14412, the second part of the verse, and your daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace. And I was serving as a volunteer in the Doctors of the World Shelter for girls who had been brutalized. And here was a promise for my daughter later who had gone through violence and now for realizing God’s daughters are promised this verse, your daughters will be adorning a palace. So you have place and purpose Mhmm. And beauty. And, yes, the carving process, these are one ton pieces of marble.
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:39:08]:
Maybe painful, but it brings great beauty. I love that verse. I just it when I run into really challenging situations, I’m reminded that God didn’t give up, so I’m not going to.
Tivoli [00:39:25]:
Mhmm.
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:39:26]:
And the book I’m reading right now is pretty appropriate to my generation, How Not to age. And a lot of it is about, what we eat, which is why when you started talking about fermenting, that’s one of the chapters in the book. I’m gonna have to find out about that. So, yeah, how not to age. And it’s not really how not to age. It’s how to live healthy and be able to continue to do what you love doing.
Tivoli [00:39:57]:
Mhmm.
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:39:58]:
And my best bargain is something I do quite a bit. I go buy, organic fair trade dark chocolate. It’s good for your brain. It’s good for a lot of things. But I always buy Fair Trade and it is an amazing bargain. The particular one I get is about $3 and some people say, well, that’s too much to spend on chocolate. But let me tell you, if you buy the cheap chocolate, there’s a good chance a child is a slave on a cocoa plantation. And when you buy the fair trade version, the bargain is that you’re a good steward because now we’re making sure that parents are getting paid a fair wage so they can educate their children.
Dr. Sandie Morgan [00:40:53]:
And that kind of stewardship is the kind of stewardship God’s economy requires. So buy fair trade chocolate. It is a bargain. The other way that people often try to help those kids is they sponsor a child. And so instead of just doing that, think about making it part of your everyday practice to check the products that you buy, the supply chain. It’s kind of another place on that jug for you to grab a handle.
Kim Moeller [00:41:35]:
Thank you for sharing that. Beautiful. And just reminds me of how God can bring beauty from ashes. He can bring beauty from things that in the world really are dark, and yet we do have these little ways that can add to that beauty. We can take the extra minute to look at the products before we purchase them.
Tivoli Hudson [00:41:56]:
Okay.
Kim Moeller [00:41:56]:
And we can also sponsor a child. It’s both and. We can do both. So I’m glad you called that out. So I just appreciate you both, and thank you so much for the generosity of your time during this podcast. And I know there are women listening that are going to be touched and take the next step in whatever that is in this field of anti trafficking where they feel they can make a difference in their community or in the world. And it probably won’t be until heaven till you get to see the results of those women who heard your stories, parts of your stories. Right.
Kim Moeller [00:42:33]:
And just it’s all multiplied in God’s economy. So thank you again for your generosity. Lots of love to you both, and God bless.
Tivoli Hudson [00:42:41]:
Thank you.
Conclusion
Kim Moeller [00:42:46]:
Thanks so much for joining us today on the Generous Grill 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.
