Hey guys, welcome to the messy table, an ordinary space for real women, imperfect stories, and the God who's constantly at work in our mess.

I'm Jen Jewel, the host of this podcast, which airs every other Tuesday, and we're also partnered with My Church, Life Church, and our sister's ministry.

Each and every conversation that takes place at this table contains a blend of the good stuff, the hard stuff, and the messy stuff in

between, because as you know, life is definitely a mixture.

So all throughout the Bible, we're warned against allowing the stuff of this world to take

God's place and priority in our hearts.

Now, generally speaking, the things around us are pretty neutral.

Music, houses, food, jobs, Netflix, vacations, technology, exercise,

money, even relationships. They're neutral in a sense that we have the power to use them for good

or for not so good. They can be used as a resource to help us and others grow and thrive,

or they can be abused and a toxic catalyst for tearing down, not building up.

Now, this isn't about me spouting off some list of what not to do.

This is about us all pausing long enough to ask ourselves just what we're allowing.

And if those things are beneficial for us, the way God designed, and do they bring glory to

him?

1st Corinthians 723 says,

God paid a high price for you, so don't be enslaved by the world. Often, we think we have control of something, when it really has control of us. And God begs us not to be enslaved. Don't be held

captive when Jesus' sacrifice has already set you free. This isn't just about

following rules. In the same way, we don't want her kids to simply obey for the sake of obeying.

We want to teach them what's right and best so that they might thrive because we love them. We tell them

not to run out into traffic and teach them what it looks like to eat healthy and how to set

reasonable boundaries and relationships. This isn't to hurt them, but to help them live a full

...