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Deidre Braley is a Title 1 teacher and instructional strategist at an elementary school in Maine. She enjoys leisurely breakfasts, throwing dinner parties, and writing for her blog The Second Cup. She also writes for Truly Magazine.

In this episode, Deidre talks with Truly Co Podcast host Lindsay May about how she manages to stay afloat in the midst of family hardships and working full-time. In Truly Magazine’s Intentionality issue, Deidre’s article “Let’s Become Interruptible” outlines how Jesus always took time to love people first and set his checklists aside. What does this look like for us today, living in a culture that glorifies “hustle” and progress? Deidra reflects on how God uses things he creates through us to teach us. We must pause to prioritize what God values. 

Deidre also describes her experience in attending a Truly Magazine content call and the process of working with Truly’s editorial team in fine-tuning her article for print. Meet other incredible writers like Deidre face-to-face and register for our upcoming content call for our next issue Home here. 

Keep up with Deidre on her blog, thesecondcup.com,  or Instagram.

In this episode of The Truly Co Podcast, Monica Ritchie and Lindsay May talk about the importance of understanding God, scripture, and our belief systems. Our belief systems are a vacuum. If we don't fill them with something, our belief systems will be filled for us by the world around us. Therefore, it's essential to be intentional about our theology. 

Monica unpacks the context of Matthew 6:33, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (NIV). In this verse, Jesus is speaking in the context of wealth. We are designed to seek God first for all of our needs, including wealth. God desires us to trust in him and go to him first for all of our needs. Wealth can mean a variety of things, including financial, such as mental wealth and health. When we go to God first, spend time with him, and get to know him, we will then have our hearts unified to Christ because we will know his heart for us. 

We can anchor ourselves in who we know God to be in his character and will. Spending time with God through reflection and prayer is one way we can grow our wisdom and discernment. Monica shares practical insight into the unique ways we can hear God's voice regularly. God made you, and he knows how to speak to you. Hearing God's voice doesn't have to look like what others have experienced.

Monica acknowledges that we may often romanticize our time with God that doesn't match the reality of our season. For example, intentional time with God can happen in the car while we're driving, going for a walk, or doing the dishes at the kitchen sink. We can be intentional with God about our thoughts and emotions at any time, in any place.

We reflect on how we can step away from the pressure of a "Pinterest-perfect" prayer life and step into the muddiness of raw questions and emotions. God will meet you where you are.  

Monica's scripture meditation: James 1:2-3, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." (NIV)

This scripture is a joyful reminder to wait on the Lord because he wants us to be mature and complete. Therefore, we can wait in joy for the arrival of our goals, dreams, and ambitions. 

Follow Monica in all that she is doing on 98.5 KTIS, her blog Pineapple Momma, or on Instagram @pineapple_momma

Purchase a copy of Truly magazine.