Having a Baby in a Broken World, Stewardship, and Why You Need to Live for Your Kids (Not Just Die for Them)

You say you would die for them, but would you live for them?

Yeah.

And so it's like, mm, okay.

I want to be healthier than I've ever been on this on the way to having a baby.

I want to be stronger mentally, financially, you know, in leadership, all these things.

Welcome to the Midweek Motivation Podcast, where we bring practical help for your faith and life.

Here's today's episode.

Hey guys, welcome to this week's Midweek Motivation.

My name is Jess, and I've got some guests here that I'm really excited to talk to.

This is Caleb and Maria.

And uh, okay, so I'm in my 40s, you guys are in your 20s, and you're about to have a baby.

Yeah.

So exciting.

Um, we're gonna talk about why any of us should care about the world that we bring a baby into, right?

Yes.

Cool.

Which is heavy on your guys' mind.

It is.

I'm sure.

Yes.

So so ultimately, like we're coming off of a weekend where we're talking about why we should care about the world.

And I think that uh this is kind of a little bit removed from the the topic of bringing a baby into the world, but not really.

Like when I was a kid, um, there were all kinds of different like save the world, like things that um people gravitated to towards like wanting to make a difference.

Like, I don't know, our parents taunted us with the whole eat your dinner because they're starving kids in Africa.

Like save the rainforest.

Like, what kind of things do you guys hear in the world now at your age about having an impact or stewardship, like a sense of stewardship for the world?

I think the uh thing our generation cares a lot about is is uh of course, like environmental impact, right?

That's a big thing, is is uh the sustainability of the world, I think is a big thing to our generation.

Um it might have been when you were growing up too.

Yeah, just different problems.

Probably different, yeah, a little different.

Yeah, yeah.

But I also think that as far as caring for the world, we've seen our generation step a little bit out at least who we hang out with, yeah.

Step a little bit out of like idolizing the world as a thing and actually almost doing like a course correction to Jesus, which I've seen very evidently, it's super interesting because when we were when we were younger, younger, like elementary school, really young, um and middle school, environmental concerns were a big deal.

It was it's all about uh what was the saying in like COVID, save the turtles?

It was like all that stuff.

Yeah, the plastics, plastic, the metal straws.

We need metal straws and paper uh instead of plastic.

Yeah, and the paper bags went away and all the or uh you know, I mean plastic bags went away and all that.

Um was it like environmental footprint or something like that?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

But now I've seen a I've seen almost a course correction where it's like, yes, care for the world, yes, do your part in and not ruining it, yeah, but uh because it's a gift from God, but also like focus on the things above, and it's been so interesting to watch.

Yeah, it's exciting to me, I think, actually.

Cause I because I think that that Jesus is the one who tells us that we need to steward the world, right?

Like the world has been a gift to us, and and from the beginning we're here to take care of it.

Yeah, absolutely.

Very cool.

Okay, well, so a shift then, because you guys have uh like in the phase of life that you're in right now, you have a really uh uh huge investment in the world because you've got a baby coming.

Yeah, yeah.

I'm very excited.

So there's there's two different parallels that I can uh that I personally can connect to having a kid.

And number one is the excitement of having a baby.

So where are you guys at right now?

Like what uh what has uh like expecting a baby done to to like uh your thought process?

Like how are you preparing?

What is your where are you guys at?

It's such a blessing, an honor.

Do you want it?

Yeah, I think it definitely makes you think a little bit more outside yourself.

Like before, like when we were getting married, we're focused a lot on like that.

And then you're just we're just kind of like going through our lives.

Obviously, we're focused on others as well, but then once you're like, oh, we're about to have a child, you kind of open up to like everything that they're gonna go through and experience, and then it kind of opens your eyes to what uh what's going on, what their generation's gonna experience, even things like we were talking to our young marriage group that most likely our kids will grow up with AI just being like a like the internet, like the internet for you guys.

I didn't have access to the internet like you guys did.

Exactly.

So we were saying we get to say back when we were young, we didn't have AI, like our parents said back when we were young, we didn't have the internet, and that's just so weird to think about.

So definitely kind of it's super exciting for us, very like your mind just goes to like a whole it's like the TikTok joke, like you unlock a new section of like Target, because now you can go shop at the baby section.

You unlock like a whole different part of your brain and like the way you think when you're expecting a baby, like it's no longer like oh I'm focused on myself, like we're focused on a family, you know.

Yeah, I mean it really makes you think about the impact of the world, right?

And what society um what the effect society has on your child, yeah, because you're not your child's not always with you, yeah.

And so, like when you think about oh how do we want to handle schooling, yeah, you know, okay, if we're at work, do they go into like you know, a child care with these random people?

Or, you know, like you think about a lot of like how does everyone walking the planet affect my child and uh and the climate of certain things, and uh it really does.

It makes you very much zoom out of yourself and go, okay, how does the world, even with me taken out of it, how does the world affect them and how can we build them to be resilient or raise them to be resilient in you know their beliefs and their you know all that thing stuff.

That's really interesting because Caleb, you and I have had a conversation before that was really inspiring to me about how you're you're like, I will have an amp impact, I will change the world.

And has how has that shifted at all?

Like when you start to think about a a baby and how the world Yeah.

I think oh it only magnifies that.

Yeah.

When I think about having a little baby that I'm taking care of, it uh it only magnifies that.

It makes me want to work harder, it makes me want to change the world even more for him and for God, obviously.

But it almost puts more reasoning behind why why there should be more fire under you.

And so I've I've only seen it since we, you know, we're like, wow, we're gonna have a baby.

I've only seen it make me like jump out of my seat and go, okay, I got let's make this happen, dude.

Like it really does go, okay, I got a nine-month ramp uh until we're taking care of a literal human being that's going to uh hopefully walk the earth and be a compassionate, amazing person.

And uh yeah.

And hopefully they'll be a world changer.

Hopefully, they'll be a world changer.

Yeah.

That's awesome.

I love it.

So, what are some of the like just for fun?

What are some of the fun things that you guys are doing to prepare right now?

Um, I recently got into thrifting.

Yeah.

So I've been going to like thrift stores and looking for like clothes I found.

This is super off topic, but I found a$4 Carhartt sweatshirt.

This is a good deal.

That's amazing.

For an Carhartt sweatshirt for$4, and I looked it up online and it's$30.

Exactly.

Normal price.

So I was really happy about that.

Yeah.

Um, and then also I just feel like my whole like life purpose has been to be a mom.

Like ever since I was little, I knew I wanted to be a mom.

So for me, I'm just so excited, and I'm preparing one, I'm preparing myself, my body, my health, um, but also like putting my Pinterest board together and like thinking of nursery things, as well as starting to think of like this is down the road, but it's gonna come before you know it.

What are we gonna do about schooling?

Like things like that, like how are we gonna raise them, parenting, social things like that, kind of just having those conversations now instead of when all of a sudden we're like, wait, yeah, what are we actually supposed to do about this?

Yeah, it's like kind of just having those conversations, making sure we're on the same page because that's really important.

I've no kidding.

Yeah, it is.

So that's great.

It's been exciting because like we're even thinking about, you know, what do we want his room to look like and and where in the house is his room gonna be?

Uh and there's so many like moving parts obviously that are not solidified yet, uh, and we're just yeah waiting those waters, but it's super exciting, yeah.

That's so cool.

Um, I like I get a little bit of a sense, or I don't know, this is how I I kind of connected on a much smaller level, but like when I was a kid and we and knew that we were gonna go on like a family road trip or something, there was like this and level of anticipation involved where you're just like, I can't sleep, we're gonna leave tomorrow.

Count down your day.

Exactly.

Exactly.

That's so cool.

That is kind of like that.

I have an app that shows every week where we are and then how many days left until like the due date.

So I'll open it every now and then.

It's so fun.

It's so fun.

It's like I used to have a Christmas countdown, like how many days left till Christmas or how many like Sundays left.

Yeah.

It's kind of like the same thing.

Yeah.

One thing that's really important to me though, that I've been thinking about too is like it makes you think a lot about how you're gonna show up for them.

And so you know how it's this whole trend about like, oh, dad bod, dad bot.

Your wife gets pregnant.

Uh I've been protesting that.

People, oh, get ready, you're gonna want to do the you know, the cravings that she's having.

And of course, when she wants Chick-fil-A, we get chicks.

I do want Chick-fil-A also.

But I'm protesting the dad bod because I love the saying uh you say you would die for them, but would you live for them?

Yeah, and so it's like, okay, I want to be healthier than I've ever been on this on the way to having a baby.

I want to be stronger mentally, financially, you know, in leadership, all these things.

I'd I'd love to see myself not get caught up in, oh, oh my gosh, you know, I'm gonna eat as much as possible and and like start uh what is um what's it called where sympathy cravings and and when bears um hibernate uh hibernate kind of to like you know get in the home and all that.

Uh I'm I'm wanting to make sure that there's balance in that to go like no, I want to improve in lifestyle, and uh it's very important for me.

When I have a craving, baby gets what baby wants, but for you, well, you if I were pretty really good at you've been good about he won't indulge in everything.

Like I can see him, and he's intentionally like trying to do workouts, go to the gym, like preparing his body, and I'm trying to do the same as much as I can, yeah, um, with like my energy levels and stuff, but making sure we're at our healthiest and like mindset-wise, like we're prepared as much as you can be.

Yeah, we're first-time parents, so we have no idea like what's to come, but as much as we can prepare.

Wow, can't do that.

That's a great segue.

I love it.

I love it so much.

So the uh the segue into, you know, as Christians, so we kind of talked about like the world has a little bit of this idea of uh stewardship, you know, we just kind of naturally have that instinct, I think, in some way.

And it seems like you guys are mirroring that even just as like new parents, you know, new to be parents.

So um, what do you think um being a Christian adds to that?

Like what what level of uh what new level is added to the to that idea of stewardship when you're talking about parenthood or even caring about the world?

It's the idea that uh on the world we have the ability to store treasures in heaven that is a big deal to especially Christians where it's like don't focus on the things below, focus on the things above, and that makes you diff that makes you act different below, like where we are and where we're standing.

Um and so yeah, it makes you want to be a good steward over what is entrusted to you because you notice it's not yours.

Uh it you know, it's like when you are able to borrow someone else's thing.

As long as you're a good human being, you want to return that thing as it came or better than it came.

Yeah, yeah.

And so it it is a mindset, especially as a Christian or as a believer, right?

That you go, God entrusted us with this child, right?

God entrusted us with the leadership he's given us, with the home we have, with the cars we have.

It's not our stuff, it's his that makes you go, okay, let's do good.

Yeah, I I want to.

So yeah.

What do you think?

Yeah, yeah.

I think it's a lot of like you were saying, taking care of what's been given to us because the thing that I've learned about God is that he will give you so much, even more than you asked for.

But there's also certain times that you realize he's so powerful that he can take those things away as well.

So you have to really make sure you're uh appreciating and you're like stewarding well what he has given you, especially something like a child is like huge for me.

Like that's a life he's trusted us with that I really want to make sure we're going about that as in the most biblical way possible.

That's that was gonna be my next question.

Where do you where do you where do you find the insight?

Where do you learn?

What do you pull into like you know, how you parent or how you care for the the world and the thing, you know, the things that he's giving you.

For us, our yeah.

Our uh obviously the Bible, yes, obviously prayer.

Um but man, our parents, both her parents and my parents, uh, my grandparents are the best examples.

Like I'm so beyond grateful um that we have, you know, my dad, my mom, her, her dad, her mom, and and uh Papa Ken and Wetter, like the best.

So man, we have like uh been eternally blessed with great examples.

So yeah, where do we turn to?

Yeah, Bible first, each other, what do we think?

And then hey, hey, what do you guys think?

You know, we've got an amazing community.

Yeah, we do.

Luckily, I think your parents even have a parenting book.

Ooh, don't they?

They're writing one night now.

Perfect timing.

Yeah, yeah, I would agree.

Definitely the Bible, prayer, um, and then like those around us that we look up to who raised us in a godly home and or who are raising their children in godly homes just as like a community to like bounce off of, I feel like.

But I mean, people are watching right now that are like, oh, good for you.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

And it's like I I would still encourage you might be like, no, my parents are not good examples.

I'm not gonna I don't want to parent like my parents parented.

Right.

And uh there's two things I think I'd encourage.

One is you've heard us say this before, get in a growth group.

Yeah.

Uh you need community, you need community.

Yeah, and the second is use the things, honestly, use the things you saw your parents do that you hated as your fuel for how you're gonna be a better parent.

Yep.

Because I know this, my Papa Ken, Pastor Ken, was an amazing parent.

Uh, him and my nana, Karen.

Um, and she passed, but they were amazing parents to my mom and Tim and Dan.

And they grew up in completely abusive backgrounds, terrible parents, uh, really bad upbringing.

And they were some of the best parents you could ask for.

And you know how they did that?

They stuck together, they loved each other first, they parented second.

They didn't parent first and love each other second.

Yep.

And it's things like that where they were able to lean into church community for good examples because they didn't have it.

And then they saw what they hated their parents, didn't they flipped it upside down?

So they said, one of their agreements, Papa talks about this all the time.

This he says, We made one agreement or many agreements when we got married, right?

What do we want our household to look like?

They like listed out 10 things, I think, together.

They they agreed we want our household to look like this.

One of them was we we will not raise our voices at each other, you know, things like that, because they said, I grew up, Papa grew up, and Nana grew up, with their parents being abusive and yelling all the time and getting mad at each other, and it's a terrible example.

It stressed Papa out.

So he said, We will not do that.

And they didn't do it.

And look at that.

They used that as their fuel to turn it around for good.

And so, yeah, there's still definitely ways to do it, even if you don't have a direct lineage of great parents.

Yeah, I agree.

I I can I can attest to that as well.

Just be uh one of the the most amazing things that my mom told me as I was growing up was you're gonna turn into your you're gonna hit your 20s, which is the magical age where poof, all of a sudden you're like, I understand now.

You're gonna be like, Yeah, you're gonna you're gonna be like, I agree with that wholeheartedly.

Now I understand why my parents did that.

Um, or you're gonna be like, no, that sucked, and I'm not gonna do that.

Yeah, yeah.

And and I I did a I made a lot of my disparenting decisions based on some of those experiences too.

Yeah.

So yeah, that's really cool.

Well, so I think uh to tie this back, we had uh this weekend we had Compassion International come and uh and the whole question is as Christians, like why should we care about the world, right?

Which is which is uh one of the reasons why I had you guys on because you've got a lot to care about, you know.

But but even like for someone who's not in the place in life where you guys are right now, I think um we can go into the Bible and see that that Jesus paints this beautiful picture of us of uh of a world being renewed, right?

And so um uh what are your thoughts on like is there anything specifically biblical that you can pull out of where even, I don't know, like Caleb, you're you've been motivated from the get-go to you know change the world.

Like, where are you pulling, like where do you get your hope from?

What scripture do you pull out to really lean into?

Um, and what do you think that as Christians we should be focused in on when it comes to this idea of hope for the world that's coming and how we can participate in living that out?

Do you have any thoughts?

Yeah, um what I immediately thought of is a lot of people in our generation unfortunately have the mindset like, if it doesn't affect me, why should I care?

Um which I don't agree with because if I think that um if we go by the Bible, we look at what God did for us, he had no Jesus had no reason to die on the cross for us.

But he did it because he loved us, and I think that to me shows sacrifice in caring for those that don't affect you.

Like if you think back to the Christmas story, God came from his beautiful place, comfortable.

Yeah, he was looking at the world probably all full of sin, like he could have been like, oh well.

Yeah, but he he wanted to like sacrifice, and I think that living as Jesus lives is uh compassion and is um wanting to change the world and help others even if it doesn't affect you.

And one of the verses that specifically came to mind, you might know the address I'm forgetting right now, but it's um what you do for others, you do for me.

So what I think about like we sponsor two kids.

Um I think ours are in Brazil, but um in like the verse it talks about like you give if you give like someone a cup of water, like it's like you give Jesus a cup of water.

So if you think about it like that, like those kids in Brazil, had we never seen their pictures, we wouldn't have known that they're even suffering that like you know, and some people could go around being like hope, hope one day, you know, they get sponsors.

But for us, I feel like I had a tug and he had a tug, like we are able to change the lives of these children.

Why not?

Like, why wouldn't we do that?

Because if we were to act as Jesus act, I would want to go out of my way and be able to help those who are in need, and also the mindset of like what I do for others, I do for God.

Like imagine Jesus was like, Hey, can you spare me$35 a month?

Would you really be like, no?

Yeah, I yeah, I don't know.

That's I guess that's between you and God, but for us that was that was at least kind of where my head went.

Yeah.

I like the uh uh talking about Jesus coming down from heaven and and it's like it's uh the part that participation piece is amazing to me.

Like the the fact that he's like, no, uh like from the Christian perspective and like understand Jesus and what he did, like he he got it like he exhausted all of the opportunities that he had without direct participation, you know what I mean um coming and and and showing us an example of what it looks like to live in a way that is king kingdom building, that really is like getting prepared for the kingdom that he's got coming, yeah, eventually, you know.

But he had to participate in order to show us how to do that.

That's really cool.

And that's what you're doing.

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, I know I know this.

I love the Bible and I love Jesus, and I want every person that walks.

The planet to know and love him as well.

Yeah.

And so there's a huge fire under me to be a big part in making that happen, partnering with Jesus.

Um you know, I have Matthew 6 33 tattooed on me because I believe in seeking first the kingdom.

What I've noticed is God is a really big thinker.

Yeah.

And he is he has huge visions and huge plans.

And I uh I've always just made it a commitment that I will also think huge.

And I will also I will also set my eyes on the things above because the kingdom of God is is a massive responsibility to to take on and uh to be part of.

And so I think I I really do take it with great responsibility and honor.

And uh through seeking first the kingdom, I think it really does open your mind to how big that is and and how much work it will take.

Um, you know, the proverb, there's a proverb that says a little more sleep, a little more slumber, a little more folding of the hands, and poverty will pounce on you.

The idea is is rest is very important and biblical to recharge and be of actual use because if you are always tired, you will never think straight.

But the the flip side of that, right?

Proverbs talks about that too.

Proverbs then turns around and says that where he's like, What are you doing?

Folding your hands, sleeping more?

You think you need more sleep right now?

And there's so much work to do, right?

Yeah.

Uh it the the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few, right?

It's it's very much so saying, like, work.

There's so much to be done on this earth, it's a it's a shattered place.

Let's let's piece it back together.

And so I just care a lot about making sure everyone hears the word of God.

And uh it's I I take that as my responsibility, and I think God handed that to me.

And so Yeah, to all of us.

Let's do it.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

That's good stuff.

So so on that note, because those are really broad ideas.

If you, if there's somebody who's watching or listening to this podcast and they're like, how do I even I don't even know where to start?

Like, there's so much, you know, um, to do, honestly.

Like the world is so broken.

What what next step would you suggest to somebody to to start investing in a like a heaven on earth kind of a way, on a in a uh kingdom of earth or kingdom of heaven on earth right now kind of a way?

It keeps being put in my head the seturize on the things above.

I think too many people uh I was reading, what was it, Matthew 13?

Um reading Matthew 13 and one of the problems is that we idolize the things of the earth, right?

We idolize the things that we're looking at.

Yeah.

Um agreed.

And and then we they're so tangible.

Yeah, and then Matthew 13 touches on the idea that we'll focus so or or actually uh was it Psalms night 119.

It was one of those.

I read a few of those today.

And and it talks about how the we'll get we'll get lost in the things of the earth, and and uh talks about deceitfulness and lying and all these stuff and all this stuff.

And so I think it's so important to get to the point.

I think it's so important to to stop focusing on what uh is only of the earth, yeah, and figure out a way, figure out some sort of way to set your eyes on what's above and orient the stuff on earth to glorify what's above.

Um and so yeah, yeah, I would start setting your eyes on what's above.

Um, I agree with that for sure.

And I was gonna say, if you're sitting and you're thinking, I want to do something, I want to make a difference, but I have no idea what I want to do, I don't know where to start.

I would say honestly, your very first step should be ask God.

Yeah.

Yeah.

He will guide you to what it is you should do.

And everybody, we're all the body of Christ.

So what God calls me to do might be completely different from what God calls you guys to do.

Sure, yeah.

So I think like I'm not like if you're sitting there like, oh, my sister does this, I'll just go do that.

That's great.

That's a great start as well.

Sure, yeah.

But also pray, like, God, what do you want me to do?

Yeah, what's my part?

What is my part?

And I know everybody has issues in the world that hit closer to home for them, or they have like softer spots for all the crazy things going on right now.

So you kind of start thinking about that.

You're like, what can I do to actually make a difference and then pray about it?

Because he will open those doors if you're asking and willing to listen and obey.

I I agree.

Yeah, that's great.

I think um one of the things that I really dove into when I was getting ready for this conversation specifically was the idea that we can experience the kingdom of heaven on earth is incredible to me.

And when I first started learning about this, it was in the book of Matthew, like doing a deep dive dive study in the book of Matthew, where um it's the gospel um that's oriented around Jesus as King, right?

And so you go in and in in the very beginning of it, um, you read like, I think the Beatitudes are in there.

And then uh Jesus has like all of these different um ways for us to be renewed.

Like the world sees uh a picture or a situation this way.

This is how it is in the kingdom of heaven, like there's comparison there.

So so there's a piece of personal renewal that helps us to set our eyes above, right?

And so that's kind of like maybe a beginning of the process.

And then I I love it.

Pray.

Yeah.

Yeah, that's good stuff.

Very cool.

Any other thoughts that you would have to encourage anybody who's like, man, I wanna like anything that we didn't talk about for anybody who's like, man, I want to make a difference.

What can I do?

I would also say another first step you could start is just volunteering at church.

Yeah.

Getting yourself involved anywhere you can.

If you're um if you have like a local uh homeless shelter or anything, you could start there because if you really have no idea where you are feeling you want to go, something like that could kind of show you.

You could start, feel like, oh, this is where I'm called to serve.

And then once you're in that position, you might feel God being like, good start, let's go here.

You know?

Yeah, yeah.

Something like that.

So just like make the first step, pray about it, and then get involved somewhere.

Because I feel like that's just like a good step to have.

I agree.

That's and that's well researched.

If you're wondering, like, oh, well, why should I get involved?

Yeah.

Uh Brendan Burchard, the founder of the High Performance Institute, if you look at the the characteristics or habits of high performers, yeah, um, you'll find that most of them volunteer somewhere because it's the it's the heart posture of giving back.

Again, it's outside of yourself, it's outside of you know your own thoughts and your own things.

And so it really does, it lets you kind of zoom out and go, okay, am I giving back?

Am I actually serving the things of above?

And uh, and so it makes a big difference in your life when you're able to volunteer and do something that actually makes a tangible difference.

And I totally agree.

If you start, you don't have to overthink where where do I go?

What's my exact passion?

Um, I love how my sister-in-law Adriana put it.

She said, just try the different flavors of ice cream, you'll find your favorite.

Yeah, and and so it's it's fine to do that.

You know, it we'd be happy even at West End to take someone in that's going, I'm just searching.

Yep.

Um, we'd be more than happy to go, let me help you.

Yeah, I'll sharpen you in this.

Yeah.

Yeah.

We've had people bounce from kids' team, hospitality, production, then maybe they end up on prayer team.

Yeah.

They find this.

I've had so many people in the kids' team, they'll come surf for a while, and then they feel called in another ministry.

And I think that's great.

Like you started in kids and then God called you to do something else, and then like you find where you're meant to be, and I think that's really cool.

Yep.

Great, awesome.

Well, congratulations again, you guys.

Thank you.

Thank you.

It's so exciting the phase of life that you're in right now, and and so that's really cool.

And thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and and joining us.

Great conversation, I think.

Absolutely.

It's awesome.

All right, guys, we'll see you next time.

We hope you enjoyed this episode of Midweek Motivation.

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